A “constitutional coup“ is taking place in Poland, said the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev. He accused the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk of suppressing the conservatives from the “Law and Justice“ party and compared its actions to the processes in Ukraine. The statement was published on the social network “Max“ and was quoted by TASS.
“There is a constitutional coup in Poland“, wrote Medvedev, defining the actions surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal as an attempt to remove its leadership. The rest of his publication contains political accusations and harsh qualifications towards the Polish government and the Law and Justice party.
The clash over the Constitutional Tribunal
The crisis escalated after Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska temporarily took over the leadership of the Constitutional Tribunal, and President Bogdan Świnczkowski was removed from his duties. The reasons for the measure are disputed by political forces. The Associated Press reports that the official motives could not be independently verified, as the court's website stopped functioning soon after the announcement was published.
The Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek has filed requests to lift Świnczkowski's immunity. The government claims that the president has blocked the inauguration of judges elected by the parliamentary majority. The rulers say their goal is to restore the rule of law.
„Restoring the rule of law is our duty. After years of lawlessness under „PiS“, this is a difficult process, sometimes painful, and requires decisive action. There is no other way“, said Donald Tusk.
Protests and presidential intervention
Hundreds of protesters gathered around the courthouse in Warsaw. According to police, three people were detained after some of the demonstrators tried to break through the fences and threw objects at officers. Additional police forces were deployed around the Constitutional Tribunal.
President Karol Nawrocki cut short his trip to Senegal and returned to Poland. „At this time, the president should be in Poland. I am cutting short my flight to Senegal. I'm back," he wrote. After his return, Nawrocki said that the constitutional order had been violated and called for urgent consultations with the leaders of the parliamentary groups.
The dispute is part of a long-running standoff between Tusk's pro-European government and President Nawrocki, who is close to “PiS“. The party and its representatives describe Świnczkowski's removal as an illegal attack on the constitutional order. Meanwhile, the government insists that the actions taken are necessary to restore the work of the court and the independence of the judiciary.
Sources: focus-news.net, apnews.com, aol.co.uk