The European Commission announced today, Wednesday, that it will take legal action against the establishment by the Polish government of a commission of inquiry into what it calls “Russian influence” in the country.
Brussels says the Polish committee is targeting opponents of President Andrzej Duda’s government.
Poland established the committee despite previous promises to Duda to amend the law that included its formation after criticism from the European Union and the United States.
The conservative European government set up the committee with the aim of investigating citizens who might have fallen under the influence of Russian policy.
Duda’s opponents say the committee and its work aim to undermine the opposition several months before the Polish parliamentary elections.
On Tuesday, the European Union expressed “particular concern” about the commission, while the United States said the legislation “could be used to block the nomination of opposition politicians without due process.”
Duda returned and said that amending the law on the committee would prevent it from punishing those accused of falling under Russian influence, calling on the Polish parliament to adopt it as soon as possible.
Poland’s ruling conservatives have been at odds with Brussels since they came to power in 2015 over Warsaw’s failure to fully comply with European Union laws on the judiciary.
Duda faces major political competition from Polish Prime Minister and former European Council President Donald Tusk during the upcoming elections.
