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Jacek Czaputowicz: double standards are used in European officials assessments

Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said on Tuesday commenting on a series of statements by European officials that double standards are used in their assessments, so that what is accepted in certain countries is not tolerated when happening in Romania, Hungary or Poland.

"I suggest that there is no breach of the rule of law or instances in which the values of the European Union are not respected. We disagree with such statements. They do not reflect reality. Poland has a right to reaffirm its judiciary in line with European standards. We believe that sometimes double standards are used, and so something that is accepted in some countries or may not be so when happening in Romania, Hungary or Poland. For example, the rule of law or other provisions that we have implemented in Poland are those existing in Western countries," Czaputowicz told a joint press conference with Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu at the Diplomatic Club in Bucharest at the end of a Romania-Poland-Turkey trilateral meeting.

The Polish official, who thus responded to a question from journalists, stated himself against what he called the attempt to punish some countries on the grounds of non-observance of the rule of law, describing the "accusations" thus levelled as "a political tool used by some leaders."

"We will be against attempts to combine rule of law with this attempt to punish a region or certain countries. There are no clear criteria. How can one assess whether the rule of law has been respected. And in the European Court of Justice, we are leaders in the implementation of it. So, that does not mean that we are against discussing it, but I mean to say that there are no objective evaluation mechanisms, which is why we believe that this accusation levelled at our countries is a political tool used by some leaders. We will certainly be against punishing Hungary or Romania for using this mechanism, because that would be unjustified," said Czaputowicz.

The European project is in "mortal danger" from opponents inside and outside the EU, Politico.eu quotes European Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger as saying Tuesday.

Oettinger said swift approval of the EU's next long-term budget by national leaders and the European Parliament would show Europe remains capable of action in the face of such challenges.   

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