TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

Huge row over the Supreme Court. Opposition sings the national anthem after the debate

After stormy deliberations, the Justice Committee of the Sejm rejected in block voting all amendments to the draft law on the Supreme Court proposed by the opposition. Amendments proposed by PiS were approved. Members of the opposition protested against block voting. The voting procedure was received with shouts of "ORMO, ZOMO, censorship," "No consent to such methods," "You’re making Kaczyński a dictator." Towards the end of the meeting there was a scuffle over Stanisław Piotrowicz's microphone. Some MPs sang the national anthem.

"The parliamentary majority used brutal force." Opinions of constitutional experts

"This is not lawmaking. This is pushing through a bill that was drafted in unclear circumstances, in obscure circles. A bill that has hardly been amended. A bill that violates the fundamental principles of the Constitution. This is very poor lawmaking," Professor Marek Chmaj, a constitutional expert, comments on what happened in the Sejm last night.

What the government changes to the judiciary contemplate

Last week the amendment of the Act on the National Judiciary Council and the amendment of the Law on the Court System became the focal point for disputes regarding the judiciary system in Poland. A bill on the Supreme Court penned by the Law and Justice (PiS - Prawo i Sprawiedliwość) government was also submitted to the parliament (Sejm). The first two documents have been ratified and are presently waiting for the President’s signature. The bill on the Supreme Court that evinced protests attended by many thousands of people in several of Poland’s cities was sent to a parliamentary commission for further legislative work.

"The end of the independent judiciary in Poland"

The law on the National Council of the Judiciary passed by the Polish Parliament and drafted by the ruling Law and Justice party, the amended law on the Polish judicial system and the law on the Supreme Court that is currently awaiting amendments have been met with criticism of the judiciary and legal communities and commented by the European institutions as well. "This legislation (…) may undermine the separation of powers in Poland" – the European Parliament President, Antonio Tajani, wrote to the Polish President, Andrzej Duda. Frans Timmermans, on the other hand, threatened to trigger Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union on Poland.

"Do not wipe your treacherous mouths with my brother's name"

“As long as the late Lech Kaczyński was alive, you did not dare raise your hand against the judicial branch,” Borys Budka, an MP from the Civic Platform (PO), said on Tuesday night at the Sejm. Jarosław Kaczyński, chairman of the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), responded to his words by saying: “Do not wipe your treacherous mouths with the name of my late brother, you attacked him, you murdered him, you scoundrels.”