Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposed a private meeting with President Karol Nawrocki this week to discuss how to achieve a lasting reduction in political tensions in the country. The proposal was made after a meeting of the National Security Council devoted to Poland’s security and the conflict surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal.
„I proposed to the president that we meet privately this week to discuss how to permanently reduce these tensions“, Tusk said, quoted by Interia. He stressed that the aim was not for „someone to triumph or humiliate the other“.
The prime minister said the conversation should take place without prior public announcement in order to avoid additional media pressure. According to him, a private conversation in a calm setting could help find a solution, although he and Nawrocki would probably retain their differences on a number of issues.
The dispute surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal
The proposal comes against the backdrop of the most serious escalation in the conflict between the government and the president since Nawrocki began his term. At the beginning of the National Security Council meeting, the president described the situation as a „serious constitutional crisis“ and said there were grounds for the most serious accusations of illegality against the cabinet’s actions.
The dispute intensified following the removal of Constitutional Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski at the end of October. Protests were organised around the court building in Warsaw, and police were deployed to guard the area.
Tusk’s government claims that the actions taken are necessary to restore the tribunal’s independence. The opposition and the presidential camp describe them as an illegal attempt to take control of the institution. There is also a dispute over judges elected by the parliamentary majority, whose assumption of office has been blocked after the president refused to administer the oath to them.
Sign of cooperation on security issues
The meeting, held in Warsaw on 3 November, was attended by the president, the prime minister, ministers, parliamentary leaders and military commanders. The possible construction of a permanent US military base in Poland was also discussed.
Tusk said there was broad agreement among the main state institutions on security issues. He identified preserving and strengthening the US military presence in Poland as a shared priority against the backdrop of warnings about threats linked to Russia’s policies.
The prime minister described Nawrocki’s opening statement as unnecessarily confrontational, but said he would not respond with further escalation. No date or location has yet been announced for the meeting between the two.
Sources: wydarzenia.interia.pl, polskieradio.pl, apnews.com