Poland’s PM, EU leader to discuss ending political crisis

WARSAW, Poland – A senior European Union leader will meet with Poland’s prime minister to discuss ways of solving a political crisis in the country that has strained ties with Brussels, the deputy foreign minister said Tuesday.

Alarmed by government moves that have paralyzed Poland’s constitutional Tribunal, the EU Commission has implemented the “rule of law” procedure aimed at protecting EU values including respect for law, and has threatened sanctions.

Deputy Foreign Minister Konrad Szymanski said Tuesday that recent talks have led to some understanding and paved the way for a meeting later in the day between Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans, who said on Twitter he was to meet Szydlo in Warsaw.

The EU has urged Poland’s lawmakers to find a solution to the constitutional crisis that has divided the nation and led to massive street protests.

The leader of the civic movement in defence of democracy, or KOD, Mateusz Kijowski, was meeting with EU Parliament leader Martin Schulz for talks on the situation in Poland.