THE European Union and the United States have expressed concerns over a new Polish law creating a body to investigate “Russian influence”, which critics say Warsaw will use to target opposition.

The EU has “special concern” about the committee, which would have powers to block citizens from public office, the bloc’s justice commissioner said today.

Brussels is worried the new panel could be used against independent judges in Poland, and the European Commission “will not hesitate to take measures if it’s needed”, commissioner Didier Reynders said.

In a separate statement late yesterday, the US State Department said it is “concerned by the Polish government’s passage of new legislation that could be misused to interfere with Poland’s free and fair elections”.

It said it shares “the concerns expressed by many observers that this law to create a commission to investigate Russian influence could be used to block the candidacy of opposition politicians without due process”.

Yesterday, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed the contested bill into law, enabling the creation of the commission the opposition calls “anti-constitutional” and “Stalinist”.

The commission’s nine members, appointed by the lower house of parliament, will decide if people it investigates succumbed to Russian influence between 2007 and 2022, and impose harsh penalties.

The government has not provided for any appeal process for people found guilty, who could find themselves banned for 10 years from public positions relating to public finances and classified information. – AFP, May 30, 2023.