WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's right-wing ruling party has drafted legislation to impose new restrictions on judges, saying it seeks to manage a corrupt “caste” of judges that has become too engaged in politics. Critics say the legislation marks a repressive step that flouts the European Union and its values.

The legislation introduced in the Polish parliament Thursday is the latest move in the four-year effort by the populist Law and Justice party to gain control of the country's judiciary.

The proposed law would allow for the dismissal of judges who criticize the Law and Justice government's judicial overhaul. One provision would make judges eligible for dismissal if they attempt to scrutinize the credentials of a fellow jurist, in line with a ruling by the European Court of Justice.

The proposed legislation received sharp criticism Friday, with opponents saying it marks a setback for Poland's 30-year-old democracy. One critical judge, Igor Tuleya, said the aim was to pressure judges to issue rulings that satisfy the government and vowed that judges would not allow themselves to be intimidated.

Polish Supreme Court spokesman Michal Laskowski said Friday that the “obvious goal ... is to silence critics"and that if passed, the legislation could in effect mark the end of the separation of powers in the country.

Wojciech Sadurski, a law professor at the universities of Warsaw and Sydney who has been a critical of the Polish government under Law and Justice, called it “a direct break of primacy of the EU law."

Public broadcaster TVP, which is fully controlled by the government, echoed the party line, with TV headlines that included: “Judges want anarchy,” and “Caste of judges fighting for its privileges.”

Some critics described the legislation as a new form of martial law against the Polish people and their judges. Friday was the anniversary of martial law imposed by Poland's communist regime in 1981 during a repressive crackdown.