Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for State Assets, Jacek Sasin, told private station Radio Zet on Monday that the presidential election set to take place on Sunday (May 10) has become difficult to organise. According to Sasin, opposition-controlled upper house, the Senate, is to blame for such state of affairs.
It has become difficult for Poland to hold its presidential election on May 10 as planned, Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin said on Monday, blaming the opposition for delaying works on legislation that would allow for a postal ballot during the coronavirus epidemic.
In April the lower house of parliament, where the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has a majority, backed a plan to conduct the presidential election on May 10 by postal ballot. But the legislation has still to be approved by the Senate, which is controlled by the opposition.
"May 10 is difficult," Sasin, who is also State Assets Minister, told private broadcaster Radio Zet, adding that PiS is now considering holding the vote on May 17 or May 23, both allowed by the constitution. "A week ahead of the election Poles do not know when the election is held. It is the opposition and the Senate who are responsible for this," he added.
Calls for delay
Nine former Polish prime ministers and presidents urged voters on Thursday to boycott the planned presidential election, arguing that the ballot, to be held by post, could be unconstitutional and did not guarantee voter confidentiality. Former European Council president and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk and some opposition presidential candidates have already said they would not take part in the May poll.
The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has sought to go ahead with the election amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by proposing changes to the electoral code allowing for the vote to take place exclusively by post. Critics, including human rights groups and election observers, say the legislative changes, which have still yet to be approved by parliament, have been rushed through and could stop the elections from being free or fair.
Infection tally nears 14,000
The Ministry of Health informed on Monday morning that 2653 patients with coronavirus were being hospitalised at the time, 96,699 were under quarantine, and 17,785 under sanitary-epidemiological supervision. The latest number of infections stood at 13,693, of which 678 people have died so far. The ministry also said 4,095 people have recovered after contracting the virus.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters, Radio Zet