Poland warns of repercussions if Brussels keeps blocking funds

FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen poses with Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki prior to a meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 1, 2022. Virginia Mayo/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland could hit back at the European Union if it does not pay out its share of pandemic recovery funds, ruling party politicians have said after Brussels signalled it was not satisfied with Warsaw's latest judicial reforms.

More than 35 billion euros ($36 billion) of COVID-19 recovery grants and loans had been put on hold due to a dispute over the reforms to the judiciary in Poland which the EU executive says subvert democratic standards.