Polish president to veto controversial judicial reform

By Ilker Girit

ISTANBUL (AA) - Polish President Andrzej Duda will veto a controversial judicial reform which would replace Supreme Court judges with government nominees, media reports claimed on Monday.

The news follows protests in the capital Warsaw and other major cities where thousands of people took the streets for eight days in a row to demonstrate against the amendment put forward by Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS).

Sunday’s demonstrators, wielding Polish and European Union flags, rallied at the presidential building in Warsaw, chanting “We want a veto" and "Free court".

The legislation had been approved on Saturday by the upper house of parliament and was awaiting the president's approval to bring it into effect.

The EU had urged Poland’s ruling party not to approve the legislation, which would allow the government to appoint judges without approval of the Supreme Court.

*Emre Aytekin contributed to this story