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  • Rule of Law in Poland 2020: How to contain the Crisis and reform the Justice System?

    Rule of Law in Poland 2020: How to contain the Crisis and reform the Justice System? | 2020-12-29

    The crisis in the rule of law that Poland has witnessed since 2015 must be contained as soon as possible. Any proposal to restore the rule of law must follow certain principles such as legality, proportionality and respect for fundamental rights. It is also important to gather public support around such a plan, and make sure that it does not simply assume a return to status quo ante.

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    • Law on pharmacy profession - another step towards closing the market

      Law on pharmacy profession - another step towards closing the market | 2020-12-21

      The provisions in the Act allow for the arbitrary closures of pharmacies by officials to the detriment of patients, pharmacists without pharmacies, and entrepreneurs. In addition, the Act grants the pharmacy manager quasi-ownership functions without imposing any accountability for their decisions. Under the provisions of the Act, it is the manager, not the owner, who will verify, for example, electricity suppliers.
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      • Rule of law in Poland 2020: The rule of law crisis in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic

        Rule of law in Poland 2020: The rule of law crisis in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic | 2020-12-16

        The COVID-19 pandemic has led to serious health and economic emergencies all over the world. Moreover, it has also affected democratic institutions and the rule of law. On the one hand, the pandemic has been exploited by local strongmen and authoritarians in many places to consolidate their power and justify human rights’ violations. On the other, it has been a test for the resilience of democracy, and there are even some hopes for an upcoming democratic recovery.

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        • In the international freedom and democracy indexes, Poland is falling in solidarity with Hungary

          In the international freedom and democracy indexes, Poland is falling in solidarity with Hungary | 2020-12-10

          There are cases of indicators worsening in other countries of the region as well, however, with the exception of Hungary, these changes are not as significant as in Poland.
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          • Aleksander Łaszek: Is Warsaw facing de facto Polexit?, Deutsche Welle

            Aleksander Łaszek: Is Warsaw facing de facto Polexit?, Deutsche Welle | 2020-12-08

            "Fortunately, at the moment no one is seriously thinking about Polexit in Poland and our membership has strong public support," Aleksander Laszek, chief economist at the Civil Development Forum, a think tank in Warsaw, told DW.

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            • Jobs for a chosen few: Regulations continue to block access to professions

              Jobs for a chosen few: Regulations continue to block access to professions | 2020-12-08

              At present in Poland there are still 360 regulated professions (with the EU median of 186). Among the EU countries there are more only in Hungary and the Czech Republic. Although access to some professions is easier after the deregulation carried out a few years ago, many of the planned changes were abandoned in the course of legislative work, so that the final form of facilitation in access to the professions turned out to be much less than announced.

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              • Marek Tatała: Poland needs more rule of law and fewer conflicts with Brussels, Emerging Europe

                Marek Tatała: Poland needs more rule of law and fewer conflicts with Brussels, Emerging Europe | 2020-11-30

                On October 26, the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticising the Polish Constitutional Tribunal’s decision to ban over 95 per cent of legal abortions in Poland. Indeed, out of 1,110 pregnancy terminations in 2019, 1,074 were carried out on the grounds of severe and irreversible foetal defects. This option will now be closed in Poland, which has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the European Union. On the same day the resolution was adopted, the prime ministers of Poland and Hungary met in Budapest to confirm that both governments would veto the EU 2021-27 financial framework and Covid-19 recovery fund.

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