Poland's lower house of parliament, the Sejm, voted in favour of a controversial bill known as "Lex Tusk". If ratified by the president, the legislation will allow for the creation of a parliamentary commission to investigate Russian influence on internal security of Poland between 2007 and 2022.
The bill received 234 votes in favour, 219 MPs were against, and 1 abstained. It will now be sent over to President Andrzej Duda who can either sign it into law, decide not to ratify it, or send it to the Constitutional Tribunal for further considerations.
Ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS) say that liberal opposition party Civic Platform (PO) allowed Poland to become dangerously dependent on Russian fossil fuels when they were in government from 2007 to 2015, raising questions about whether they were under Moscow's sway.
PO rejects this criticism and opposition figures have labelled the bill "Lex Tusk", saying it merely aims to eliminate PO leader and former prime minister Donald Tusk from the political scene ahead of elections scheduled for October or November.
Ombudsman: the bill is unconstitutional
Poland's Human Rights Ombudsman Marcin Wiącek has said that the bill is unconstitutional and would mean that a public administrative body would carry out functions which should be reserved for the courts.
Poland's upper house of parliament, the Senate, voted in favour of throwing out the bill, a position that was upheld by a parliamentary commission on Wednesday.
The commission would investigate the period 2007-2022 and would have the power to ban people found to have acted under Russian influence from holding security clearance or working in roles where they are responsible for public funds for ten years, effectively disqualifying them from public office.
Its members would be chosen by parliament, where PiS can command a narrow majority.
Tusk: I wanted to see faces of those who broke the constitution again
Civic Platform chairman Donald Tusk was in the Sejm during the vote. "I wanted to see the faces of those who yet again have broken the constitution, who violated good manners and fundamental principles of democracy in fear of losing power, in fear of the people, in fear of responsibility after losing the election," he told reporters after the bill had been passed.
"We have a strategy for this commission," he added. "If you ask about fear, today you have seen cowards who voted in favour of a commission meant to eliminate their biggest rival. We will respond with courage - ours and that of the people. And you will see that those who voted to break the constitution today will regret it very, very much," Tusk stressed.
The PO chairman once again invited people to the opposition march on June 4 in Warsaw. "I would like the whole of Poland to see that the Polish people are against cancelling of the democracy whole generations were fighting for with determination," he added.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters, PAP