Poland's president and new prime minister remain divided on rule of law despite talks

Poland's president and prime minister remain divided on the rule of law despite talks on common ground.

Poland's president and new prime minister said on January 15 that they remain divided on the key subject of rule of law in the country, despite one-on-one talks in search of common ground in various areas.

Centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with pro-opposition President Andrzej Duda to discuss Poland's security ahead of Mr. Tusk's planned visit to Ukraine, but also to identify areas where they can cooperate in the society's interest above their sharp political divisions.

In a sign that did not bid well for their future cooperation, both later said that they had found no common ground in the very sensitive area of the rule of law, where Poland's previous government and Mr. Duda himself clashed with the European Union.

Mr. Tusk's government is taking steps to reverse the controversial policies of its predecessors, making new appointments to key offices, wrestling control of state-owned media and even arresting two former government ministers convicted and sentenced by court for abuse of power.

Mr. Duda said he had “appealed” to Mr. Tusk to leave things as they were in some areas and to “give up attempts at violating the law".

He said that their Jan. 15 talks centred on the arrest last week of the previous interior minister, Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy, Maciej Wasik, whom Mr. Duda is seeking to pardon in a lengthy procedure, and on the recent change of chief national prosecutor, opposed by the President and the previous ruling team.

Last week Mr. Duda, who has a doctor's degree in law, drew criticism when he accused Mr. Tusk's government of applying the “terror of the rule of law”.