EU to begin releasing billions of euros to Poland that were frozen over previous government policies

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s powerful Commission announced on Thursday that it will begin releasing billions of euros to Poland that were frozen over the previous government’s policies that the bloc said amounted to widespread backsliding on fundamental democratic principles.

The move had been expected after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised “good news” last week to reward Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for his efforts to overturn a series of

measures imposed by the previous conservative government

that went against EU judicial cornerstones.

Thursday’s move cemented a sea change in relations. Both sides had openly clashed after the stridently nationalist Law and Justice party came to power in 2015 and implemented reforms that critics said placed Poland’s judiciary under political control. The EU threatened to suspend Poland’s EU voting rights and also blocked its access to tens of billions of euros in EU funds over concerns about the rule of law.

Tusk's work to turn back the judicial changes since he became prime minister in December has been warmly embraced across almost all of the EU.

“What’s the scorecard as far as we are concerned? A very good A,” said EU Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer. “So let’s continue working, basing ourselves on something which is an amazing success.”