Schetyna on Senate Amendment to KRS: Everything Points to a Return to Negotiations. I Was Absolutely Astonished That This Amendment Lacked the Approval of the Judicial Community

15/05/2024

09:15

- I will defend the Senate and the Senate's decision [regarding the amendment allowing so-called neo-judges to run for the new KRS] [...] there was a meeting with the Minister of Justice, with Adam Bodnar, also a fellow senator, who recounted, spoke, and conveyed the findings of the Venice Commission's opinion, the consequences of these events, we discussed it, he spoke of consultations with various communities. [...] That was the proposal, that was the opinion, it directly stemmed from the Venice Commission's opinion, that was the suggestion of the Minister of Justice. [...] The Minister of Justice is the custodian of this bill, and he sets the terms. I believe here it should be 'yes, yes,' 'no, no,' meaning, today I understand the decision to cancel the Justice Committee meeting in the Sejm; it was supposed to take place at 8:30 AM and prepare, and address the amendments we introduced. If it's not happening, the matter returns to discussion and the negotiation table with the communities - said Grzegorz Schetyna on Trójka. - Yes [it is possible that the Senate's amendment will be changed], perhaps, meaning, everything points to a return to discussion about specific provisions. [...] Politicians of the parliamentary majority cannot today make decisions regarding the future of the judicial community without the approval of that community. [...] I do not think this is a mistake; the Senate, after a long conversation with the Minister of Justice, made such a decision following the Minister of Justice's suggestion. We are, after all, providing guarantees for the parliamentary majority; it is difficult to imagine that we would say that a government representative presented a concept, and we rejected it. We are, after all, the support base for the government - he continued. - I did not expect it; I was convinced, when voting for this amendment after that meeting, that this amendment had the community's approval. It was obvious to me. I was absolutely astonished when it turned out that it did not - he added.