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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 20 november 2019

NATO chief heads to Paris as France comes under fire

By LORNE COOK them and to fully under-
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Sec- stand the messages and
retary-General Jens Stol- the motivations."
tenberg said Tuesday that He said that the world needs
he will travel to Paris next "strong, multilateral institu-
week for talks with Presi- tions like NATO and there-
dent Emmanuel Macron fore we should strengthen
after the French leader la- NATO, not weaken NATO,"
mented the "brain death" and warned that "if we dis-
of the world's biggest mili- tance Europe from North
tary alliance. America, we weaken
Macron's very public criti- NATO, but we also divide
cism of NATO — notably a Europe."
perceived lack of U.S. lead- Stoltenberg's meeting with
ership, Turkey's unilateral Macron, scheduled for
decision to invade northern Nov. 28, comes a few days
Syria without warning its al- before U.S. President Don-
lies, and the need for Eu- ald Trump and his NATO
rope to take more respon- counterparts meet in Lon-
sibility for its own security don for a one-day summit
— has shaken the alliance. marking the 70th anniver-
His choice of words was sary of the organization.
rejected as "drastic" by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gestures as he answers a question during a news con- U.S. envoy Kay Bailey
German Chancellor An- ference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. Hutchison launched a news
gela Merkel the day after Associated Press conference in the wake of
they were published in The Stoltenberg's by saying that
Economist magazine. Se- leaving France feeling iso- Brussels on Wednesday be- tenberg said the best way "we firmly disagree with
nior U.S. and European of- lated for speaking out. fore chairing a meeting of to resolve differences "is President Macron's assess-
ficials have since piled on, Speaking to reporters in NATO foreign ministers, Stol- to sit down and to discuss ment of NATO."q

EU court refers doubts on Polish judiciary to national court

are reasons to question the preme Court. She vowed cil of the Judiciary, which
independence of a new action aiming to "restore proposes judges for court
judicial chamber in Poland trust" in Poland's top court positions and is supposed
that monitors and poten- and its judicial bodies. to protect their indepen-
tially punishes judges. The right-wing government, dence.
However, the European however, said the ruling, Tuesday's ruling came in
Court of Justice left it to Po- which referred the matter response to questions by
land's highest court to de- back to Poland's judges, Poland's Supreme Court
termine whether the new was a clear sign that the regarding the legality of
Disciplinary Chamber is in- EU court believes it has no its Disciplinary Chamber,
dependent. jurisdiction to assess the which was introduced by
In Poland, both sides of the justice systems of member the ruling party. The cham-
heated dispute around the nations. Poland's ruling Law ber can potentially punish
ruling party's controversial and Justice party has been judges for failing in their
changes to the country's voicing that opinion ever jobs and in their behaviour.
judiciary declared victory since it started to introduce Many of those appointed
upon hearing the verdict. changes to the judiciary to the chamber were rec-
Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, during his policy
speech for his second term in office following October parlia- The head of the Supreme when it took power in 2015. ommended by the ruling
mentary elections, in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. Court, Malgorzata Gers- The EU court's ruling also party, which has been con-
Associated Press dorf, said the EU court implied there are questions demned by EU leaders for
clearly shared concerns about the independence meddling in the country's le-
Associated Press ropean Union's top court over the new chamber, of another top body in Po- gal system and threatening
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- ruled Tuesday that there which is part of the Su- land, the National Coun- judicial independence.q