Poland has issued a veiled Brexit-related warning to the European Union after the bloc ordered them to bring in judicial reform.
A spokesman for Poland's conservative nationalist governing party, Law and Justice, said Thursday that while the country had no intention of leaving the EU it would 'have to search for drastic solutions' to its dispute, before pointing to Britain.
Speaking during a discussion at an economic forum in Poland, Ryszard Terlecki said that the party wants to remain in the EU and have a cooperative relationship with the bloc but that the EU 'should be acceptable to us.'
'If things go the way they are likely to go, we will have to search for drastic solutions,' he warned. 'The British showed that the dictatorship of the Brussels bureaucracy did not suit them and turned around and left,' he said, referring to Brexit.
His comments came after the European Commission said on Tuesday that it had asked the EU's court of justice to impose daily fines on Poland over its rule of law, and a controversial chamber of the Polish Supreme Court that disciplines judges and prosecutors.
The EU argues this threatens the country's judicial independence, and despite Warsaw saying it would dismantle the chamber, Brussels said Poland had 'not taken all the measures necessary.'
Government spokesman Piotr Mueller (pictured) denied that there is any intention to leave the 27-member bloc, saying: 'We will not follow the way of Great Britain', after Terlecki's comments sparked furious backlash from opposition parties saying Poland's EU membership was at risk
In response to Terlecki's warning, Polish opposition politicians accused the governing party of putting Poland's membership in the EU in danger.
Former President of the European Council Donald Tusk, who is now the leader of Poland's opposition party - Civic Platform - warned today of the 'constant undermining' or Poland's presence in the EU by the Law and Justice party.
When asked whether he was confident of Poland's continued membership of the EU, he said: 'No, I don't have such peace of mind and no-one should have.
'Disasters such as, for example Brexit, or Poland's potential exit from the EU, very often happen not because someone has planned them, but because someone has been unable to plan a wise alternative to such a potential drama.'
Government spokesman Piotr Mueller denied that there is any intention to leave the 27-member bloc, saying: 'We will not follow the way of Great Britain.'
Terlecki, who is also the leader of the ruling party's group in parliament, spoke after the bloc moved earlier this week to punish Poland financially for actions that increase the governing party's control over the courts.
Brussels says they are against EU law.
Opposition lawmakers seized on Terlecki's comment to accuse Law and Justice of seeking Poland's departure from the EU. Senate Speaker Tomasz Grodzki said it would not be in Poland's interest to leave the EU.
Amid the uproar, Terlecki tweeted Thursday that he does not support leaving the bloc, saying: 'Poland was, is and will be a member of the EU.
Despite the Polish government's long-running disputes with the EU, surveys show that the vast majority of Poles are in favour of membership of the bloc.
Hungary, seen as a close ally of Poland's in the EU bloc - hit out at Brussels for pushing to impose fines over its judicial reform.
Hungary's justice minister Judit Varga accused the EU of 'attacking' Warsaw and intervening in its legislative process, and called Brussels 'scandalous and arrogant' to dismantle the controversial chamber.
'The European Commission
