Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz speaks during a joint press conference with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu (not in the picture) in Bucharest, Romania, on Feb. 1, 2018. Stripping Warsaw of its voting rights in the European Council (EC) is an attempt to use double standards, Poland cannot agree with this and will defend itself in case of unfair treatment, stressed visiting Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz on Thursday. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel)
BUCHAREST, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Stripping Warsaw of its voting rights in the European Council (EC) is an attempt to use double standards, Poland cannot agree with this and will defend itself in case of unfair treatment, stressed visiting Polish foreign minister Jacek Czaputowicz on Thursday.
According to the official, many European Union (EU) member states signaled they wanted to avoid a vote on the activation of Article 7 of the Treaty of Lisbon, a procedure that could result in Warsaw losing its voting rights in the EC, because of Poland's refusal to modify certain judiciary reforms.
"Such a vote could lead to a fragmentation of the EU," he told a joint press conference with his Romanian counterpart, Teodor Melescanu.
Czaputowicz appealed to all EU member states "to consider our arguments in an objective manner, to take note not only of the Commission's position, which, in our opinion, is unjust and doesn't reflect the facts accurately, but also the Polish government's position".
He told the media that "not just Hungary, but other states too are prepared to support us" in case a vote on article 7 actually takes place.
Meanwhile, he underscored that "Poland will also defend other EU states in the region if it thinks that they are treated of an unfair manner by the European institutions."
"If we support one another, then our voice will be heard in all the European forums," he said.
On his part, the Romanian foreign minister expressed his dissatisfaction with the messages sent from Brussels, according to which the allotment of European funds for certain countries could be influenced by modifications in the justice area.
The European Commission decided last December to trigger Article 7 and launched an unprecedented censure against Poland over a judicial reform dispute.
Over a period of two years, the Polish authorities have adopted more than 13 laws affecting the entire structure of the justice system in Poland, according to the Commission statement.
Romania's coalition government has also been criticized in recent months by its European partners for carrying out reforms deemed damaging to the rule of law.
