Poland put on notice as EU calls for halt to judicial shake-up

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans speaks during an interview with Reuters at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

BRUSSELS/WARSAW (Reuters) - The European Union on Wednesday gave Warsaw a week to halt judicial reforms it said would put courts under direct government control, or face punishment for undermining democracy in the largest ex-communist member of the bloc.

Since being elected in 2015, the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party has tightened government control over courts and prosecutors, as well as state media.