Poland is preparing for protests as the government's judicial reforms take place

WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland is preparing for Tuesday's protests against conservative power reform at midnight, despite strong opposition in the country and legal action against changes in the European Union.

Law and Justice (PiS) de facto control of the entire judicial system, including the Constitutional Court and prosecutors, who now report to the Minister of Justice.

Its most deterrent measure will force more than a third of Supreme Court judges to retire Wednesday unless they obtain an extension from President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally.

Duda announced on Tuesday that Supreme Court President Malgorzata Gersdorf, a fierce critic of the reforms, had not asked for an extension and that she would therefore be retiring in accordance with the rules introduced by PiS.

Stressing the tension, the spokesman of the Supreme Court said that Gersdorf would still come to work on July 4th.

"The plans have not changed here, Ms. Gersdorf intends to come to work tomorrow.And what happens next … I do not know," said spokesperson Michal Laskowski.

The European Commission opened a new legal proceeding against Poland over the changes to the Supreme Court on Monday, saying that they undermine the judicial independence of the largest former communist member of the state. EU.

The Warsaw government says that reforms are needed to improve the accountability of a system that dates back to the communist era.

The eurosceptic PiS in polls has been maintained around 40 percent throughout the conflict, far above any single rival party.

PROTEST OF THE OPPOSITION

The Poland's three largest opposition parties of the Supreme Court building in Warsaw from 19:00 GMT on Tuesday, they said in a joint statement.

Demonstrations "in defense of the Supreme Court" were expected in other cities, according to organizers Komitet Obrony Demokracji (KOD).

"Today, we will be in many Polish cities to show that there is no agreement for a takeover of another independent institution" said Borys Budka, a legislator of the Civic Platform, in a statement. More protests are expected Wednesday.

"There will be a purge before the Supreme Court tomorrow under the pretext of retrospective retrospective age adjustment," Gersdorf told students in Warsaw at a conference, according to the report. PAP official news agency.

Gersdorf asked Duda at a last-minute meeting on Tuesday to name another judge on the panel to serve as deputy chief in case of his absence said Laskowski.

Among those who said they would protest, Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former president, allegedly contributed to the collapse of communism as leader of the Solidarity trade union.

"If anyway the current leadership team is attacking the Supreme Court, then … I'm going to Warsaw.It's enough to destroy Poland," Walesa said on his Facebook account.

He also said that he was ready to "lead to the physical removal of the main perpetrator of all misfortune," referring to PiS leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

Gersdorf, who had condemned the PiS's alleged campaign to politicize the judicial system and the media, said that according to the Polish constitution, she should remain in office until 2020.