A Constitutional Tribunal's (TK) judge on the list of candidates for the Supreme Court (SN) is a very unusual situation, however, there were cases in the past of Supreme Court judges joining the Tribunal, said the spokesperson for the Supreme Court Michał Laskowski.
The National Council of the Judiciary published on its webpage on Thurday the list of candidates for the Supreme Court.
On the list is Mariusz Muszyński, a Constitutional Tribunal's judge.
Among the 195 candidates, only one didn't specify a Chamber he would like to join.
Most of applications, 92, are for the Disciplinary Chamber. There are 65 candidates for the Chamber of Extraordinary Supervision and Public Affairs, 30 for the Civil Chamber and 7 for the Criminal Chamber.
"Unusual situation"
At a press conference, Mr Laskowski has been asked about his view on Mr Muszyński's candidacy for the Supreme Court.
"A Constitutional Tribunal's (TK) judge on the list of candidates for the Supreme Court (SN) is a very unusual situation, however, there were cases in the past of Supreme Court judges joining the Tribunal. There were also Supreme Administrative Court judges who later moved to Constitutional Court," spokesperson for the SN replied.
"It's really hard for me to give a comment taking into account personal predisposition of the candidate," he added.
Mr Laskowski stressed that the situation isn't very uncommon but "at least rather surprising".
"I was somewhat taken aback by Mr Muszyński's candidacy," he admitted.
44 vacancies
In the end of June in Monitor Polski (Official Gazette of the Republic of Poland), President Andrzej Duda's annoucement regarding vacancies in the Supreme Court. The announcement stated that there are 44 judge positions to fill. According to the Supreme Court law, anyone who meets the requirements to become a Supreme Court judge may apply within a month after the publication of the announcement.
Furthermore, it was written that there are 7 vacancies in the Civil Chamber, only one in Criminal Chamber, 20 in the Chamber of Extraordinary Supervision and Public Affairs, and 16 in the newly created Disciplinary Chamber.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, PAP, Reuters