WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The European Union disbursed 6.3 billion euros (about $6.7 billion) to Poland as part of the 27-nation bloc’s post-pandemic recovery fund, the largest single transfer ever to the country, a minister said government on Monday.
Former Polish national conservative governments t, who was removed from power in October, made changes to the judicial system that the EU said violated democratic checks and balances, and therefore decided to block the money.
The European Commission said at the time that Poland should meet certain “milestones” to guarantee the independence of the judiciary to obtain funds. Brussels has emphasized that an independent judiciary is vital to uphold the EU’s democratic norms, while some also argue that independent courts increase investor confidence in the country’s ability to decide trade disputes.
Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy of Poland, welcomed the measure, while also highlighting that the value of EU membership goes beyond money.
“Being in the EU pays off, but the EU is not just about money, which our predecessors forgot,” she tweeted. “We are united by values: democracy, equal opportunities, rule of law, civil liberties!”
Poland’s pro-European coalition of three center-left parties led by current Prime Minister Donald Tusk won the parliamentary elections and took over in December. He succeeded the nationalist Law and Justice party that governed for eight years and introduced changes to the judicial system, reproductive rights and the media that put Poland on a collision course with the EU.
The Commission announced in February that it would begin releasing funds, confident in the pro-EU Tusk’s promises to restore democratic norms.
The fund, known as the Recovery and Resilience Mechanismwas created in 2020 and approved a €672.5 billion ($815 billion) recovery package a year later to help member countries recover more quickly from the coronavirus pandemic.
Poland is expected to receive €25.3 billion (about $26.9 billion) in grants and €34.5 billion (almost $36.7 billion) in loans as part of a post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
A commission spokesperson said on Monday that Poland is expected to request a total of 23 billion euros ($24.5 billion) this year.
