WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/00

by Carl Lang (TDI) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Democracy in Poland

More than ten years after the fall of the Berlin wall, opponents of the Communist dictatorship in Poland are still suffering political persecution and discrimination,

particularly with regard to their social rights. One example among many is the case of Mr Danilowicz, now a French resident, whose pensions rights acquired in Poland were not recognised, a matter previously brought before the former Commission President, Jacques Delors. At the same time, former officials responsible for ordering arbitrary trials or even summary executions have not been brought to justice but continue to hold important positions in political or economic life.

The Commission has said on several occasions that it will pay particular heed to respect for human rights throughout the accession process for the countries of eastern Europe.

1. What measures will the Commission take vis-à-vis the current Polish Government with a view to ending this discrimination and persecution?

2. Will the Commission make sure before the accession of the countries of central and eastern Europe that Communist criminals guilty of crimes against their peoples are not only brought to justice but also deprived of any influence over the economic or political life of these countries?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(17 October 2000)

The Commission confirms that it is paying particular heed to respect for human rights, particularly with regard to the accession process for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The Commission deals with these issues in the regular reports on applicant countries and tries to assess information from a wide range of sources, in particular national and international specialist organisations.

In this context, the Commission notes that during the last ten years since the introduction of democracy in Poland, the government has been particularly interested in the activities of the previous socialist regime of the Polish People's Republic, in addition to economic recovery and efforts to adapt to the requirements of the Community acquis with a view to future accession. A number of cases have been reviewed and people have been brought to justice for repressive acts committed in the past.

The Commission also notes that the Polish government is currently carrying out in-depth investigations, through its Lustracja legislation, into the past of candidates for administrative posts, to check whether they had previously worked with the security services.

The Commission has limited powers to intervene in individual cases since they must first be dealt with by the national courts and the Commission is not in a position to pass judgment.

In this situation the Commission's role is to supervise the implementation of national measures to ensure that the process runs smoothly. This will ensure that the accession criteria required by the Community, set out in Article 6(1) and Article 49 of the Amsterdam Treaty, will be met before accession.

In conclusion, what the Commission can do is to support the creation of structures. It is providing the Polish authorities with a considerable amount of logistical support and technical assistance, aided by national experts from the Member States.