Verbatim report of proceedings

Wednesday, 18 January 2023 - Strasbourg

Protecting the Rule of Law against impunity in Spain (topical debate)

  Andrzej Halicki (PPE). – Madam President, dear colleagues, as deputy chair of the Committee on Civil liberties, Justice and. Home Affairs (LIBE), a person from Poland, a member of the Polish opposition, and also as an ex Minister, I have some very friendly advice for you. You would like to lead a common Europe in several months with the lady who was in Brussels last week – such an aggressive minister who was not answering any questions. Let us think about your image. The standards are the same for everybody in Europe, the law also. You cannot be above the law, even if you are a member of the government.

So let’s think: on a green light you can go, but on the red, even if you love this colour, you cannot go. You are very close to the red light, and I have advice to change this person, because I cannot imagine the European Council meeting with a person who would like to protect the rule of law with this language, which is very similar to our colleagues from the far right.

The second piece of advice, which is much more important, is that you have to change this direction. You still have time, and it is high time to change it, because you are on a slippery slope, very similar to other well-known ways. I don’t want to prolong this discussion. This is my friendly advice to you: don’t make a mistake on that.