Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said Tuesday he was "astonished" by Timmermans' request, slamming it as "an attempt to exert pressure upon the democratically elected" parliament and government of a sovereign state. "You had the possibility to receive from me the competent information regarding this issue ... using routine working contacts ... I deplore the fact that you decided not to do so. "Thus, I first found out about your unjustified accusations and unfair conclusions from the media."
Relations between Brussels and Warsaw have been strained since the Law and Justice party (PiS), led by the eurosceptic Jaroslaw Kaczynski, returned to power in Poland in October after eight years in opposition. Tens of thousands of Poles have since taken to the streets to protest the party's moves to enact legislation giving it control over Poland's top court and public broadcasters. In an unprecedented move, the Commission is set to debate the state of rule of law in the EU member on Wednesday, which could lead to potentially punitive measures. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said Tuesday she will join President Andrzej Duda, a close ally, at a January 18 debate on the issue in the European Parliament. "It's clear to me that the prime minister represents the country any time Poland's reputation needs protection," she told reporters in Warsaw. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker denied last week that Brussels was unfairly targeting Poland over its government's controversial changes.