Mateusz Marek/PAP

Poland has fulfilled its part of an agreement with the European Commission on the release of the EU’s post-pandemic recovery funds, and the ball is now in the EC’s court, Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, has told PAP.

The European Commission (EC) approved Poland’s National Recovery Plan (KPO) in early June, opening the way for Warsaw to get funding. But the EC has long been at loggerheads with Poland’s ruling Law and Justice and froze Warsaw’s access to the funds until Poland meets several conditions, known as “milestones”, on the rule of law.

“On our part, the agreement has not been broken, and what’s more, it has been fulfilled, and now it’s time for the EC’s move,” the prime minister said on Tuesday.

“If the EC wants to continue to be a hostage to radical forces that are hostile to Poland, then it is the EC’s problem,” Morawiecki said.

“I can only say that we, without waiting for any decisions, have started the projects included in the Next Generation EU programme, which is popularly known as the KPO,” Morawiecki said.

In May, Poland adopted new legislation abolishing a disciplinary chamber for judges at the Polish Supreme Court, which has been at the heart of the dispute between Brussels and Warsaw. But Brussels would like to see further steps taken, including the reinstatement of judges suspended by the chamber.

Poland stands to receive EUR 23.9 billion in grants and EUR 11.5 billion in cheap loans. Warsaw is yet to send an application to the EC for the disbursement of the funds.