There won't be any controversy between Andrzej Duda and the government, if the President vetoes the bill changing European election rules, says deputy prime minister Jarosław Gowin.
Respect for President
"We treat the potential Presidential veto with respect. If it happens, it definitely won't become a subject of controversy between the President and the United Right coalition," deputy PM and minister of education Jarosław Gowin told the journalists on Thursday.
Deputy prime minister reminded that the amendment of the Electoral Code changing the provisions regarding European elections was a parliamentary project, not governmental.
"The government by no means is a party in this case. As a minister, I don't have anything to add, exept that the government deeply respects President's right to individually assess each bill before ratifying it," Mr Gowin emphasised.
"As a leader of one of the parties of the United Right coalition, however, I can say that the currently binding electoral law is undoubtedly flawed: it's unclear and not representative enough. We've made an attempt to improve the law by increasing the representativenes and transparency," said the deputy prime minister.
Likely veto
Poland's president will likely veto changes proposed by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) designed to benefit big political parties in 2019 elections to the European Parliament, he said in remarks published on Thursday.
In July the Polish parliament approved an altered election rule that favours big parties like PiS and the biggest opposition group Civic Platform (PO) and disadvantages smaller groups or individuals.
"I do not see a need of such a fundamental limitation of access to the European Parliament. In practice this eliminates smaller parties. I question this from the democratic point of view," Dziennik Gazeta Prawna quoted Andrzej Duda as saying in an interview.
"I am strongly inclined to block this proposal."
Mr Duda is a PiS ally but his potential veto would mark another twist in his relations with the ruling party, which have been volatile since the president unexpectedly vetoed controversial bills intended to reform the court system a year ago.
President Duda's first veto was interpreted as a sign of crisis in his relationship with PiS, but since then, despite strong objections at home and abroad, PiS has managed to complete the judicial overhaul and the deadlocked has eased.
Andrzej Duda approved the most recent amendments to the law, which in effect let the government choose the next Supreme Court chief. Street protesters at that time held up pens during demonstrations against the amendment, referring to Duda's readiness to sign.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: PAP | Leszek Szymański