Mariusz Kamiński is sounding the alarm over recent judicial reforms in Poland, questioning the European Commission's stance after a meeting between Commissioner McGrath and Minister Żurek. The core of his concern centers on Poland's departure from randomly assigning court cases to judges—now replaced by manual case assignment—and proposed laws reminiscent of totalitarian-era practices targeting the judiciary. These moves impact multiple stakeholders, including Polish judicial authorities, the government, EU justice institutions, and Polish citizens who are reportedly losing trust in the courts.
This statement is part of a parliamentary question posed by Kamiński of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, aimed at scrutinizing the European Commission's position following Commissioner McGrath’s visit to Poland on 29 September 2025. The question probes whether McGrath was alerted to the draft regulation undermining judicial impartiality and whether the Commission is aware of the declining public confidence in Poland's court system.
Kamiński’s inquiry does not detail legislative proposals itself but refers to concrete measures taken or proposed by Polish authorities, such as the draft regulation to end random case assignment and alterations to the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau’s status. The Commission, responding through McGrath, states it was not consulted on the draft regulation during the meeting and affirms ongoing monitoring of Poland’s rule of law situation.
The policy directions at stake highlight a tension between national sovereignty over judicial arrangements and EU oversight of rule of law standards. This plays out as a potential weakening of judicial independence through increased manual case control, opposed by calls for stronger institutional oversight.
Stakeholders most affected include the Polish judiciary, whose independence may be curtailed; Polish citizens facing eroding trust in justice; EU institutions tasked with rule of law enforcement; and government actors pushing judicial reforms. Judicial authorities risk losing procedural safeguards, while the government gains greater control over case assignments. EU institutions face the challenge of balancing respect for national legal reforms against upholding EU-wide judicial standards.
The European Commission is expected to provide a detailed response within weeks, signaling how it will approach monitoring and potentially influencing Poland’s legal reforms amid rising concerns about rule of law erosion.
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