Polish Constitutional Tribunal

The fine is the latest development in an ongoing conflict between Warsaw and Brussels over rule of law, which reached a critical moment earlier this month, when the politically controlled Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled that some articles in EU Treaties were not compatible with the Polish Constitution.

The heightened tension between Brussels and Warsaw followed the Polish Constitutional Tribunal's ruling on October 7 that key articles of EU Treaties were incompatible with the Polish constitution.

Ten member states as well as the European Commission itself will be opposing the Warsaw-Budapest tandem, who argue that the definition of the rule of law is too vague and the mechanism merely replicates the already ongoing Article 7 procedure, but gives Brussels more room for manoeuvre while also scrapping the right of veto by member states.

The real world consequences of this dispute could be seen on Wednesday, when European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni for the first time stated officially that delays in negotiations over the Polish national spending plan for the EU Recovery Fund are being caused, in part, by Poland's problems with the rule of law.

PHOTO: TANJUG / OKSANA TOSKIC

BELGRADE - The ongoing deterioration of relations between the EU and Poland took a further nosedive after Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski described the EU Council President Donald Tusk as "the icon of evil and stupidity."