Justice minister asks Poland’s top court to rule on EU rule

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s justice minister has asked his nation’s constitutional court to rule on whether a new European Union rule linking funding to respect for rule of law is in line with the Polish constitution. Zbigniew Ziobro said Thursday at a news conference that he was convinced the new rules are “are totally incompatible with Poland’s constitution.” It is the latest move in a conflict pitting Poland’s nationalist government against the European Commission, whose role is to enforce the rules and the values of the 27-member union. Poland’s government has been taking steps since 2015 to impose greater control over the country’s courts. The EU considers the changes an erosion of judicial independence, therefore undermining the basic democratic norms.