Waldemar Żurek, Minister of Justice, said on Thursday that he does not support the Polish People’s Party’s (PSL) proposal for a “constitutional reset” that would terminate the terms of the current judges of the Constitutional Tribunal (TK) and allow the National Assembly to elect a completely new composition in a single vote. The PSL has drafted a constitutional amendment to implement the proposal, but the minister rejected it, arguing that coalition partners should back the judges elected by the current Sejm. In a conversation with TOK FM, Żurek explained that the judges’ actions during the recent crisis in the Tribunal had been “heroic” and that the government should politically support their decisions. He said: “We chose the judges, so let them work.” He also referred to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling that Poland must allow four judges elected in March—Anna Korwin‑Piotrowska, Krystian Markiewicz, Maciej Taborowski and Marcin Dziurda—to take their oath and perform their duties. The president, Karol Nawrocki, had not invited them to swear in, but the judges later took the oath in the Sejm. Żurek also discussed the events of 30 October, when Anna Korwin‑Piotrowska announced that she was taking over the Tribunal and suspended President Bogdan Święczkowski and Vice‑President Bartłomiej Sochański. Święczkowski called the move an usurpation, while Nawrocki described it as a violation of constitutional order and a forceful takeover. The minister said that the absence of the Tribunal’s president at the end of the week was not unusual, noting that Święczkowski often arrived late and was absent on Fridays. The minister criticised a night visit by President Nawrocki to the Tribunal, calling it a breach of the Tribunal’s “sterility.” He also said he would file a request with the Tribunal to examine the constitutionality of the law on… (the specific law was not named in the interview). Żurek referred to comments by Szymon Hołowni, leader of the Poland 2050 party, who said he disagreed with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the Tribunal and that the composition should be re‑formed. The minister said he could understand Hołowni’s position “when looking at the polls,” but he remained opposed to the reset proposal. The prosecutor’s office has opened investigations into alleged attacks on judges Anna Korwin‑Piotrowska and Krystian Markiewicz, and the president’s office has announced a complaint regarding an alleged attack on the president. Both sides present different accounts of the incidents. Żurek’s comments come amid ongoing political debate over the Tribunal’s functioning and the role of the executive in its composition. The PSL’s draft amendment has not yet been adopted, and the minister’s stance indicates that the current coalition will likely continue to support the existing judges.
Article source: Rzeczpospolita | Image credit: Rzeczpospolita