Tuesday marks the first day of the Senate session, which will commence at 11:00. Earlier, at 10:40, a briefing by Marshal Tomasz Grodzki is scheduled. Senators will address, among other issues, the amendment to the budget-related law for 2019, changes to the fund for persons with disabilities (concerning the financing of the 13th pension), and will also elect new members to the National Judicial Council (KRS).

At 10:00, a Council of Ministers session will begin. The government will discuss, among other matters, amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and building law. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will participate in a meeting of government representatives and entrepreneurs. The Head of Government's participation in a plenary session is scheduled for 16:00, followed by a press briefing at 18:00.

At noon, the Verification Commission will announce its decision regarding the property at Dąbrowskiego 18. At 11:45, President Andrzej Duda will attend the commemoration of the 49th anniversary of the December '70 events in Szczecin, and at 15:00 in Warsaw, he will attend a holiday meeting with soldiers, veterans, and their families.






At 18:00 in Wrocław, a literary meeting will take place with the former President of the European Council, and currently the EPP President, Donald Tusk.

- The principle, when it comes to human rights standards, is this: When it comes to defending the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, judges have the right to speak out and cannot be punished for it - Adam Bodnar stated in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- The Constitution states that one cannot engage in activities that are incompatible with the dignity of office. If judges speak up in defense of judicial independence and the independence of the judiciary, then this is precisely speaking up in defense of constitutional values and is permissible. There are various standards on this matter, and there have been rulings by international courts - he added.

"The announcements made by Marshal Grodzki during his address, following his election to this office, are practically not being implemented. Currently, there is significant political activity, an extremely politicized Senate Chancellery, and extremely politicized activities" - said the Deputy Marshal of the Senate, Stanisław Karczewski, on Jedynka radio.

- I know how to win. I know how to build an effective, good group. Besides, I love people. I know that this is the time for politicians who must meet with people every day, otherwise, we will not restore this credibility, this trust. I promise hard work with people and I will be everywhere to convince Poles that PO, KO, is the best choice for Poland – said Borys Budka in a conversation with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM's "Morning Interview".

- We are creating a new party, and it's a historic matter. This is because after many years, the SLD ceases to exist, and after a few months, Wiosna ceases to exist. Something ends, something begins. I think a new era is beginning in the history of the Polish left. This new era, good after the parliamentary elections, has given us a chance to return to parliament. 51 parliamentarians, a Deputy Marshal of the Sejm, a Deputy Marshal of the Senate – this is a great group of people who understand each other very well, from different parties. Both Lewica Razem, SLD, and Wiosna, but in harmony, and this harmony seasoned with a common presidential candidate - stated Krzysztof Gawkowski in an interview with Beata Michniewicz in "Trójka Political Salon".

– As MPs from the Left, we extensively consulted this draft with constitutionalists, and everything indicates that the only path to bring Marian Banaś before the State Tribunal is one that refers to the possibility of committing a criminal offense in connection with filing a false asset declaration while holding a constitutional ministerial position, in this case, Minister of Finance. Therefore, the motion for the State Tribunal concerns his previous role, which is connected to his current position as President of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK) – stated Krzysztof Gawkowski in an interview with Beata Michniewicz on the „Trójka Political Salon”.

– Today, I will personally deliver it. I will take the trouble to deliver this motion [to bring Marian Banaś before the State Tribunal] to the PiS club. I believe that PiS representatives will also want to sign it – continued the head of the Left parliamentary club.

“This is not a matter of a whip, but we have quite clear rules in our country. Who is a judge is decided by appointment by the President of the Republic of Poland. The key here is the appointment by the president, as enshrined in the constitution, and one judge cannot question whether another judge is a judge or not, whether they have the right to rule or not. Judges obviously have the right to review their rulings, that is what the hierarchical nature of proceedings entails, but they cannot decide that Judge A says that Judge B has no right to issue rulings at all, that is undermining the entire legal system” – said the deputy spokesperson for PiS, Radosław Fogiel, in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

"We are calm about it, considering that similar solutions exist in other EU countries. For instance, in Germany. We haven't gone as far as that, because contrary to what is being claimed, we are not at war with judges. We are only concerned with maintaining legal order and preventing anarchy, as President Kaczyński put it, the blowing up of the Polish judicial system. For example, in Germany, there are regulations that allow a judge who betrays their office, who denies the legal order, to be charged and sentenced to five years in prison. We are not taking that path; we are only pursuing the disciplinary route," said PiS Deputy Spokesperson Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

“If judges participate in demonstrations, which are largely anti-government, and we subsequently see actions aimed at halting the reforms that the Law and Justice (PiS) government wants to implement, it is difficult, despite all good will and openness, to consider these as purely substantive matters. Unfortunately, the dispute for the past four years has been that PiS believes the judicial system should be reformed, because it cannot be the case that we have a separation of powers, but one of these powers selects itself and judges itself” – said PiS deputy spokesperson Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

- I plan to vote for Borys Budka in these elections [for the leader of Civic Platform], the current head of the parliamentary club, who had one of the best individual campaigns in Poland, who achieved the second-highest result for the entire Civic Platform, after Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska. Moreover, he is certainly one of our symbolic figures, alongside Kidawa-Błońska and Rafał Trzaskowski, on how to win, and he is definitely good material for the party leader. We'll see what happens - stated Cezary Tomczyk in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- Today, we certainly need a change. I have no doubt about that. We certainly need a change for the better. We need someone who knows how to win, who knows how to beat PiS. Who will also be a good symbol of all those good things that happened during the famous 8 years of Civic Platform's rule - stated Cezary Tomczyk in a conversation with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- I think there is a widespread expectation of change when it comes to Civic Platform. We are talking about a change in leadership too, but we are generally talking about a change in a certain approach to politics. It's a new game, a chapter is closing. We've had parliamentary elections behind us. We saw many individual campaigns, we saw what Civic Platform itself looks like. We know what to change to win. I think this is the time for such an internal debate. The process of electing a party leader has begun. It will conclude on January 25th, and everything is ahead of us - stated Cezary Tomczyk in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- We have signals that there will be an attempt by the parliamentary majority to very quickly push through this anti-citizen bill [proposed by PiS to discipline judges] - stated Borys Budka at a briefing in the Sejm.

“Contrary to the critics who feared that the Senate might cause obstruction or hinder parliamentary work, in agreement with Marshal Witek, we have urgently introduced, and at a much faster pace than the 14 days we have remaining, two bills that will regulate issues that must be resolved by December 31st. The most significant of these, important for all of us who travel, regulates the extension of the memorandum on excise registration, including, among others, aviation fuels” – said Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki at a press conference.

“This will disprove grumblers and critics who say that the Senate will automatically block important bills and act as a brake. This is not the case” – he added.

„The First President of the Supreme Court has issued a statement related to recent events and proposals that are intensely present in the public sphere. Today, an opinion of the Supreme Court regarding the draft amendments to the laws on the organization of common courts and the Supreme Court has also emerged. This opinion is very extensive. It contains in-depth legal considerations, referencing both the changes to the laws themselves and their justification. It is critical of the draft, demonstrating that it signifies the practical end of judicial self-governance. It is the silencing of judges, eliminating them from public debate” – said the spokesperson for the Supreme Court, Michał Laskowski, at a press conference.

“It is difficult to understand the logic of the initiators’ actions and what goals they intend to achieve by introducing such solutions, blocking the possibility for courts to consider certain issues or ask preliminary questions. Voices are increasingly appearing in the public sphere suggesting this is some method to cause a Polexit. I cannot decipher this, but indeed, such a thought comes to mind. It seems the international consequences will be very bad for Poland” – said the spokesperson for the Supreme Court, Michał Laskowski, at a press conference.

“This is a bad bill. It is inconsistent with numerous constitutional provisions. This was stated in the opinion of the Supreme Court. And it is inconsistent with the rules of European law, certain standards, which are also demonstrated in the opinion in detail” – said the spokesperson for the Supreme Court, Michał Laskowski, at a press conference.

„This is undoubtedly a very poignant moment in a very poignant place. Beneath this gate of the Szczecin Shipyard, by this symbolic cross, the plaques commemorating those who fell on December 17, 1970. 49 years ago, almost half a century. Those who were young people then – be it students or workers – are now retired. Many participants and witnesses of those events, who were older, fully grown adults, are no longer with us today. Those who bore and bear responsibility for the decisions, orders, and commands issued then, for those wounds and the deaths inflicted upon innocent people, have already passed away” – said President Andrzej Duda in Szczecin.

„For me, it's heroism, and above all, an unresolved, tragically left, deep historical trauma without accountability, and at the same time, a terrible testament to Poland after 1989, because prior to that time, there's no point in even talking about accountability” – he added.

- We must approach this law [disciplining judges] very calmly and substantively. I hear from Marshal Grodzki that he has appointed a committee for constitutional oversight of the legislative acts being introduced. Such an institution, such a body that functioned continuously in a structural manner, has never existed in the Senate. This cannot happen. It's an attempt to create a Constitutional Tribunal 'bis,' without the necessary powers - said Stanisław Karczewski in a conversation with Dorota Gawryluk on the program 'Gość Wydarzeń' on Polsat News.

- It is not a good term. I am against stigmatization. That's the best way to put it. There are different judges, there are different doctors, different journalists. This is both its charm and its enormous value - said Stanisław Karczewski in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on the program 'Gość Wydarzeń' on Polsat News.

- I will tell the Marshal to be more restrained in his opinions and when describing Law and Justice politicians - said Stanisław Karczewski in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń" program.

- In the Supreme Court's opinion on this legislative change, there is a very substantial section dedicated to German, Spanish, and French laws. In none of these laws is there such a muzzle imposed on judges as in our proposal. This is completely unacceptable - stated Małgorzata Gersdorf in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i".

- Judges never engage in politics. Judges have only spoken on matters related to the judiciary, on public issues concerning judges, but concerning the separation of powers. They concern the state and our system of government. We must clearly tell citizens that this project contradicts the separation of powers, thus undermining the essence of our state - said Małgorzata Gersdorf in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i".