Poland's Democracy Under Threat, Three Former Presidents Warn Monday April 25,2016

Three former Polish Presidents have accused the ruling rightwing conservative party of destroying the country's constitution, urging its citizens to "defend democracy" in an appeal published on Monday April 25,2016

In the statement, Lech Walesa, Aleksander Kwasniewski and Bronislaw Komorowski accused the Law and Justice (PiS) party of "destroying the constitutional order and paralysing the work of the Constitutional Tribunal"

"Those responsable for violations of the Constitution will face the consequences," they warned in an appeal which was published on the front page of the Gazeta Wyborcza daily and signed by seven other public figures, including former leaders of the freedom fighting Solidarity union.

Since the PiS swept to power in October, relations have chilled between Poland and the European institutions after the government pushed through several pieces of controversial legislation to overhaul the Constitutional Court and which strengthened state controls over public broadcasters.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from the EU and the European Parliament, which Poland has dismissed as unneccessary interference in its internal affairs.

"The anti-European and xenophobic declarations and actions of the current leaders are undermining the cohesion of the Union and serving the interests of imperialist Russia," said the signatories.

They said they valued the attitude of the European Union and other allies whose "discussions, resolutions, opinions and recommendations are not an 'interference in Poland's internal affairs' but reflect a justified concern over our state and the rights of its citizens."

The letter was published a day after President Andrzej Duda defied EU criticism of Poland's government, accusing the bloc of showing "too little solidarity" with its eastern members.

They also expressed support for the "dignified and responsible position of the Constitutional Court judges" and for the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD), a movement borne out of opposition to the PiS reforms.

But deputy prime minister Piotr Glinski dismissed as "absurd" the claim that Poland's democracy was under threat.