- BIST10010,760-3.63%
- USD49.86+0.15%
- EUR55.82+0.52%
- GOLD3,898.90-3.29%
- INTEREST36.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN77,408-0.04%
- November 1, 202614°
- BIST10010,760-3.63%
- USD49.86+0.15%
- EUR55.82+0.52%
- GOLD3,898.90-3.29%
- INTEREST36.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN77,408-0.04%
- November 1, 202614°
Kaczyński calls tribunal chief’s removal a coup, urges Nawrocki to act
The PiS leader said Poland was becoming a police state, while former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro called for “fearless resistance.” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said restoring the rule of law was “our duty” and that “there is no other way.”
RuskiGazeta Editorial DeskUpdated:
Poland’s long-running conflict over the Constitutional Tribunal sharply escalated on October 30. Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański, were suspended from their duties for a month, police secured the court grounds, and President Karol Nawrocki turned back a plane bound for Senegal.
Judge Korwin-Piotrowska’s decision
Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska decided to suspend the tribunal’s leadership. She is one of the judges elected by the Sejm in 2026. President Nawrocki refused to accept her oath, while Święczkowski barred her from hearing cases. After suspending the president and his deputy, she temporarily took over leadership of the tribunal.
The notice of the suspensions appeared on the tribunal’s website at around 6 p.m. local time, and the site soon stopped working. Korwin-Piotrowska called the police, citing a possible threat to the safety of judges and staff.
Police said they entered the tribunal grounds after incidents outside the building, including incidents in which dangerous objects were thrown at officers, but did not enter the building itself. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the court, and three people were detained after some demonstrators broke through the fence. Claims that police acted on Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s direct orders have not been officially confirmed.
“The president should be in Poland at such a time”
“The president should be in Poland at such a time,” Nawrocki wrote, explaining his decision to cut short his trip to Senegal.
Tusk, for his part, said that “restoring the rule of law is our duty.” The prime minister acknowledged that the process was “sometimes painful,” but said that “there is no other way.” Tusk accuses Święczkowski of preventing judges elected by the parliamentary majority from carrying out their duties.
Opposition calls it a “coup”
Law and Justice (PiS) leader Jarosław Kaczyński called the events a “coup,” urged Nawrocki to intervene and said Poland was turning into a police state.
Former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro described Święczkowski’s suspension as “a blatant criminal assault on the constitutional order” and called for “loud, firm, united and fearless resistance.”
The tribunal at the center of a political war
PiS was in power from 2015 to 2023. Critics in Poland and the European Union accused the party of establishing political control over the judiciary, including the Constitutional Tribunal, and the EU fined Poland over the reforms. Święczkowski was appointed tribunal president by former President Andrzej Duda, who was close to PiS.
Tusk’s pro-European government, which came to power in 2023, does not recognize the tribunal’s rulings because of judges appointed under PiS. Nawrocki and Święczkowski, in turn, do not recognize judges elected by the Sejm in 2026. This year, the president refused to accept the oaths of three of the six candidates put forward by parliament.
Have a story, event or announcement of your own?Send us your news on WhatsApp
Spotted an error in this story?Report it on WhatsApp
Share on all social platforms
Sponsored Ads
Featured Listings
Loading featured properties...
Stay Updated with RuskiGazeta
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
