The leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), Jarosław Kaczyński, is of the opinion that the dispute with the European Commission on the rule of law will soon have a positive outcome.
There is an "80% chance" that Poland will "soon put an end to the dispute on the rule of law" with the European Commission, Kaczyński said in an interview with Polish news magazine Gazeta Polska on Wednesday 4 April.
The dispute started at the end of 2015 over judicial reforms undertaken by Warsaw and it culminated last December with the Commission's unprecedented opening of the so-called Article 7 procedure of the Treaty, which may result in sanctions against Poland.
Two weeks ago, Warsaw responded to the Commission's last recommendation sent on 20 December and announced amendments the following day to its various judicial reforms (see EUROPE 11988).
"We are currently planning to implement the changes we previously agreed with the European Commission", Kaczyński said.
The proposed amendments comprise setting the same retirement age for the male and female judges, and reducing the powers of the minister of justice in the process of dismissing law court presidents and vice-presidents.
The General Affairs Council, in Luxembourg on 17 April, is due to review this issue. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)