PM Tusk says gov't will take part in Cabinet Council summoned by President Duda

President Andrzej Duda has scheduled the Cabinet Council meeting for Feb. 13. He added the talks would pertain to Poland's strategic investments, such as the Central Communication Port (CPK), nuclear energy, and modernization of the Polish military.

The president has summoned the Cabinet Council one day after he signed the budget bill for 2024 and decided to send it the Constitutional Tribunal to check whether it is compliant with the constitution as two PiS lawmakers had been unable to take part in the votes on them.

Former Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński and his deputy Maciej Wąsik were convicted of abuse of power in their previous roles and lost their seats in parliament. Both men were pardoned last week by Duda.

"Similar actions will be taken by the President of the Republic of Poland each time Members of Parliament are prevented from exercising their mandate resulting from general elections," Duda's office said in a statement.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said government representatives would meet with the president. "The Cabinet Council is a place for discussion, for information exchange between the president and the ministers of my government. Of course we will accept the president's invitation or summons, whatever you want to call it," he said.

"We will be his guests and I will gladly share information I have, even though it's available in the public sphere. If the president needs to summon the Cabinet Council in order to learn the status of the CPK (Central Communication Port - a planned megahub which will integrate air, rail and road transport) or nuclear energy in Poland, then we can, of course use such a meeting to tell him all about it," he added.

The prime minister suggested it would be a good idea to broadcast the session as it would be fully transparent to the public. "It would also be clear what's going on, who is debating what." "But, naturally, the host, the president decides, so I'm not going to interfere in any way," Tusk added.

"In matters of particular importance, the President may convene the Cabinet Council. The Council is made up of the Council of Ministers presided over by the President. The decision on convening the Cabinet Council shall only be taken by the President where he decides that any particular issue or issues are sufficiently important that it constitutes a 'matter of particular importance,'" we read at the president's webiste.

"The positions presented by in the process of the Cabinet Council's debate as well as the agreements being made are not legally binding but are politically significant. Therefore, the President may draw the Council’s attention to issues of particular importance and demand information as to the intentions or actions taken by the government in such areas. He may also agree with the Council of Ministers the common strategy in specific issues."