07 欧盟必须阻止波兰挑衅欧盟法律

波兰的司法改革否定了欧盟法律高于其国内法，这是对其成员国义务的背叛。如果波兰不喜欢作为欧盟成员国应负的义务，它可以选择脱欧。

全文共597个词, By The editorial board

Poland’s membership has been one of the great success stories of the EU since the former communist-bloc country joined in 2004. Its economy has boomed. Its citizens have enjoyed freedoms and opportunities barely imaginable a generation before. Its security has been enhanced as an influential player in a club of friendly nations. These achievements are now at risk because of the Law and Justice government’s almost fanatical drive to hobble Poland’s judiciary, in clear breach of the constitution and now in contravention of its EU obligations.

自波兰2004年加入欧盟以来，这个前共产主义阵营国家的加入一直是欧盟最成功的故事之一。波兰经济蓬勃发展；波兰公民享受到了上一代人难以想象的自由和机会；作为一个友邦俱乐部中有影响力的一员，它的安全得到了加强。这些成就现在正面临风险，因为波兰的法律与公正党（Law and Justice）政府几乎偏执地阻碍波兰的司法系统，其行为显然违反了宪法，现在也违反了波兰对欧盟负有的义务。

Poland’s constitutional tribunal last week ruled that Warsaw does not have to comply with orders from the European Court of Justice related to its judiciary. The orders in this case are ECJ instructions to Warsaw to suspend immediately the operations of a special chamber it set up last year to discipline judges. The chamber is one of several steps the Polish government has taken in a campaign to bring judges it regards as disloyal to heel. As it happens, the following day the European court ruled the disciplinary chamber could be used as an instrument of political control. It was the third time the ECJ has condemned the Polish government for its attacks on judicial independence.

波兰宪法法院上周裁定，波兰政府不必遵守欧洲法院（European Court of Justice，欧盟最高法院）与波兰司法有关的命令。本案所涉及的是，欧洲法院命令波兰政府立即停止运作其去年为规训法官而设立的一个特别法庭。波兰政府采取了一系列举措，以迫使其认为不忠的法官就范，这个特别法庭是举措之一。该举措推出的第二天，欧洲法院就裁定这一特别法庭可能会被用作政治控制的工具。这是欧洲法院第三次谴责波兰政府对司法独立的攻击。

With its judgment, the Polish tribunal has on judicial issues rejected the primacy of EU law over national law, the legal glue that holds the EU together. It is true that other constitutional courts have also challenged the supremacy of EU law. France’s Conseil d’Etat partly did so earlier this year. The German constitutional court last year ruled that the ECJ had acted beyond its powers when it approved bond purchases by the European Central Bank, even though the ECJ is supposed to have the last word.

通过这一裁决，波兰的宪法法院在司法问题上否定了欧盟法律高于国内法，而这是将欧盟维系在一起的法律粘合剂。的确，其他宪法法院也在挑战欧盟法律至高无上的地位。今年早些时候，法国最高行政法院（Conseil d’Etat）也在某种程度上这样做了。德国宪法法院去年裁定欧洲法院批准欧洲央行（ECB）购买债券的行为超出了其权力范围，尽管欧洲法院理应拥有最后决定权。

Poland’s assault is far worse. The German court in essence said the ECJ had not done its job properly. Its complaints were subsequently resolved. The Polish tribunal said it did not recognise the ECJ’s authority, a betrayal of its obligations.

波兰的攻击要糟糕得多。德国法院实质上是在表示欧洲法院没有做好自己的工作。它的申诉后来得到了解决。而波兰宪法法院是在表示它不承认欧洲法院的权威，这是对其义务的背叛。

The politically inspired nature of the Polish cases is also damning. Normally, it is the courts that refer questions up to a higher level for clarification. In this instance, it was a Law and Justice loyalist appointed to the supreme court who brought the case. Worse, the Polish tribunal is still considering, in a separate file brought by Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, whether it should disregard ECJ orders altogether. The constitutional tribunal itself has been illegally stacked with Law and Justice loyalists. Some independent judges are clinging on in Poland’s courts, but now they will not be able to use ECJ judgments to protect themselves. That was precisely the point of the case. This is not just a battle between Brussels and Warsaw, but a judicial civil war inside Poland which an increasingly autocratic government is bent on winning, never mind the constitutional niceties.

此外，波兰这起事件是受到政治因素影响，因此性质恶劣。通常情况下，应该是法院将问题提交到更高层级进行“释法”。而波兰这起案件的提交者是一个被任命到最高法院的法律与公正党的忠实者。更糟糕的是，在波兰总理马泰乌什·莫拉维茨基（Mateusz Morawiecki）提交的另一案件中，波兰的宪法法院还在考虑是否应完全无视欧洲法院的命令。波兰宪法法院本身已被非法地塞满了法律与公正党的忠实拥护者。一些独立法官仍坚守在波兰的法院中，但现在他们将不能利用欧洲法院的判决来保护自己。这正是本案的重点。这不仅仅是布鲁塞尔和华沙之间的一场战争，而是波兰内部的一场司法内战，一个日益专制的政府一心要赢得这场战争，宪法的具体条文有什么关系。

The European Commission has no option but to take infringement action against Poland for its defiance. It should also now apply to the court to fine Poland for not complying with earlier orders. But to demonstrate true resolve in protecting the EU’s legal order, Brussels should now activate the mechanism that allows it to stop EU funds to countries that do not respect the rule of law. There can be no clearer example than today’s Poland.

欧盟委员会（European Commission）别无选择，只能对波兰的挑衅提起侵权诉讼。它现在还应该向法院申请对波兰不遵守早先命令的行为处以罚款。但为了显示保护欧盟法律秩序的真正决心，布鲁塞尔现在应该启动一项机制，令其有权阻止欧盟向不尊重法治的国家提供资金。放眼望去，没有比今天的波兰更显而易见的范例了。

If Poland’s government does not like the obligations of being in the EU, then it should prepare to leave. Most Poles would recoil at the idea, knowing that membership has underpinned the country’s success. But their government’s actions are going to cost them one way or another.

如果波兰政府不喜欢作为欧盟成员国负有的义务，那么它应该准备离开。大多数波兰人会对这个想法望而却步，因为他们知道欧盟成员国身份是这个国家成功的基础。但波兰政府的所作所为无论如何都会令波兰人付出代价。