Live Feed

07/17/2024

00:01

Wednesday's Political Agenda: Siemoniak and Kosiniak-Kamysz on Border Security, Nitras, Kidawa-Błońska, and Wielichowska on Women's Position in Sports, Presidential Council on CPK

At 9:00 AM, a press conference will begin with Sławomir Nitras, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, and Monika Wielichowska. The topic of the conference is “strengthening the position of women – amendment to the Sports Act.” A debate concerning changes to the Sports Act is also planned.

At 9:30 AM, a press conference will be held by Zbigniew Bogucki and Zbigniew Kuźmiuk.

At 10:00 AM, a press conference is scheduled with Mariusz Błaszczak and Krzysztof Szczucki.

Also at 10:00 AM, a press conference will begin with Tomasz Siemoniak, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Czesław Mroczek, and Cezary Tomczyk. The topic will be the security of the eastern border.

Also at 10:00 AM, a press conference will be held with Sebastian Kaleta, Mariusz Gosek, and Michał Moskwa.

On Wednesday, a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development Projects within the National Development Council at the President of the Republic of Poland will take place at the Presidential Palace. The subject of the meeting will be to discuss the progress of work on the Central Communication Port program.


00:05

Giertych:

National Prosecutor's Office Discredited
We have worked for hundreds of hours on the FS case. For months, we have been waiting for the requests to lift immunities that Prosecutor Korneluk announced in March. Today, the main suspect is released because the National Prosecutor's Office forgot to submit a request to lift immunity to the Senate. A disgrace for the National Prosecutor's Office – Roman Giertych wrote on Twitter.

00:07

Morawiecki on the Romanowski case:

Deeds and conversations will be recorded.

- By this unlawful detention, Bodnar's people have placed themselves in the same ranks as eastern satraps. Deeds and conversations will be recorded... - Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.


00:10

Romanowski Announces Notifications to the Prosecutor's Office:

They Knew Perfectly Well.

- In this situation, we can certainly say that we are dealing with an absolute scandal, and together with lawyer Bartosz Lewandowski, we will certainly be filing notifications tomorrow regarding the suspicion of criminal offenses committed by prosecutors who knew perfectly well that I held immunity, and this deprivation of liberty was absolutely unlawful - stated Marcin Romanowski at a press briefing.


07:52

Kierwiński on Romanowski's Dismissal: Purely Procedural Matters, Court's Decision Doesn't Absolve Him of Responsibility
- In my opinion, these are purely procedural matters that the prosecutor's office must rectify as soon as possible – if it has failed to do something. This court decision does not absolve Mr. Romanowski of responsibility for what he did. Sooner or later, Romanowski will answer for all the harm he has done to Poland and Poles by treating the Fund of Justice in this particular way – said Marcin Kierwiński in an interview with Sylwia Białek on PR24. - We have all heard parts of these tapes […] which clearly show that an organized criminal group operated within the Ministry of Justice, whose goal was to extract money for the needs of a small political party. This kind of money extraction must be called by its name: it is outright theft – he continued.

08:00

Kulasek on the Romanowski Case:

We Are Showing What a Depoliticized Judiciary Means.
- Certain oversights must ultimately be accounted for; Minister Bodnar will also have to consider drawing certain consequences. But I want to say one thing to our colleagues from PiS: we are truly showing what a depoliticized judiciary and independent, impartial judges mean - said Marcin Kulasek in an interview with Marcin Fijołek on Polsat News' 'Graffiti', referring to the case of Marcin Romanowski.

08:06

Kierwiński:

Bodnar Deserves a Medal for What He's Done in Recent Months
- Minister Adam Bodnar is undertaking the largest reconstruction of the justice system in Poland's history, and for what he has done in recent months, he deserves a medal; I have no doubts about that - stated Marcin Kierwiński on PR24.

08:07

Kulasek on Decriminalization of Abortion:

We Will Do Everything to Persuade Giertych and Colleagues from PSL.
- This step, the decriminalization of abortion, assistance with abortion, is one of the fundamental things we promised women. We will do everything to persuade both MP Giertych and our colleagues from PSL to reconsider all of this. Promises were made to women, to Polish women, but also a promise was made to Polish men, and promises must be kept - said Marcin Kulasek on Polsat News.

08:11

Kulasek on the vote on civil partnerships:

I think my PSL colleagues will think thrice.
- Poles believe that civil partnerships must be legalized. This is our promise, this is the promise of the ruling coalition, moreover, it is a government project, so we have this as if agreed, so I think that after this slip-up that happened on Friday, our colleagues from Trzecia Droga, specifically from PSL, will think thrice when they vote on the specific bill, the one concerning civil partnerships - said Marcin Kulasek on Polsat News.

08:15

Kulasek on the coalition potentially backing the same person in the presidential election:

Everything is on the table. I see such candidates.
- I think everything is still on the table. We, as The Left, are open to various solutions. If there were indeed one candidate for the October 15th coalition, then I think, although we haven't had discussions as The Left yet, we would be able to talk about such a candidate. The condition is that it would be one candidate for the entire coalition, meaning the Third Way would also have to back him - said Marcin Kulasek in Polsat News, when asked about the chances of a joint candidate for the ruling coalition in the presidential election. - I see such candidates - he continued.

08:17

Kulasek:

I am a Big Supporter of Primaries on the Left
- Ultimately, I am a big supporter of holding primaries on the left, especially since we are dealing with several left-wing parties - said Marcin Kulasek on Polsat News.

08:19

Kierwiński on the Romanowski Case: If Someone Made Mistakes, They Should Face Consequences Through Official Channels
- It's difficult for me to comment because I don't know the court's reasoning for this decision [to release Marcin Romanowski]. Besides, there isn't one yet, only an oral justification, which we haven't seen. But if the reasons are purely procedural – and it seems so – then someone should be held accountable - said Marcin Kierwiński on PR24. - I am waiting calmly to see what happens with this case [of Marcin Romanowski]. If someone made mistakes, of course, they should face consequences through official channels - he added.

08:37

Kierwiński to Giertych: I'd prefer politicians didn't engage in such 'quick' Twitter politics
- With all due sympathy for my club colleague Roman Giertych, I'd prefer that politicians didn't engage in such Twitter politics, where quick settlements and quick conclusions are made - said Marcin Kierwiński in an interview with PR24.

08:38

Błaszczak on Romanowski: 'Tusk, while vacationing on the French Riviera, wanted to see a show and got one'
Donald Tusk, while vacationing on the French Riviera, wanted to see a show… and he got one. A show concerning the incompetence, sloppiness, and above all, illegality, performed by his subordinates. The prosecutor's office had no right to detain Marcin Romanowski. The December 13th Coalition is sinking deeper and deeper. All those responsible for this illegality will face consequences for their actions - Mariusz Błaszczak wrote on Twitter.

08:41

Schetyna on Romanowski's Immunity:

I Was Surprised They Didn't Check This.

- Yes, like everyone else [I am surprised]. It would seem impossible that such a basic or elementary thing that always concerns a parliamentarian, namely immunity, which they can use, was not checked. While he was a deputy member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, these regulations are binding, so I was surprised that representatives of the National Public Prosecutor's Office, when initiating the arrest, preparing the detention request, simply did not check this. However, I also have the impression that I am looking at this, at this burst of enthusiasm, as if it turned out that Romanowski is innocent and has been acquitted by the court. Nothing could be further from the truth. This matter will simply be prolonged, but I am convinced that it must have its finale in the form of an indictment and clarification of all the outrageous issues - stated Grzegorz Schetyna in "Sygnały dnia" on PR1.


08:48

Siemoniak:

Romanowski's Lack of Arrest Cannot Overshadow Prosecutor's Immense Work
- The prosecution has done an enormous job, 12 people have been charged, 3 people are in custody. The Fundusz Sprawiedliwości (Justice Fund) affair, in my opinion, is one of the biggest scandals since 1990, because people working in the Ministry of Justice are suspected of committing great dishonesty, so that's how it should be viewed. The fact that the court did not grant the prosecution's request for the arrest of one of the persons suspected of this procedure last night cannot overshadow this great work, hundreds of volumes of files, evidence, truly hard evidence – stated Tomasz Siemoniak in an interview with Radomir Wit on the program "One on One" on TVN24.

08:51

Siemoniak:

I believe the prosecutor's office will draw conclusions and appeal to the Council of Europe regarding Romanowski's immunity
- The issue of immunity in the Council of Europe should be resolved. I believe the prosecutor's office will draw conclusions from this and appeal to the Council of Europe. I expect that the Council of Europe, given this evidence, which was a very strong submission in the Sejm, no one and nothing will obscure it, will approve the request, so it is only a matter of time and certain procedural actions – said Tomasz Siemoniak on TVN24. - There is a huge amount of [evidentiary] material, and sooner or later those guilty will be judged, they will stand before a court, and the court will then assess it – he added.

09:02

Romanowski's Representative: There Should Be a Resignation After This Case. Bodnar Bears Political Responsibility
- We've likely won the battle, but I do expect the prosecution to continue this investigation. I don't know in what capacity, I don't know if this [investigative] team will be changed, or if it will be disbanded. [...] Undeniably, this battle has been won by us - said Bartosz Lewandowski in the "Morning Interview" on RMF FM. - If after this case there isn't some resignation, or even political responsibility of the people who are responsible for it, then I don't believe in political responsibility in Poland. This is a case of such a glaring example of incompetence and abuse of power, a disgrace to Poland on the international stage - he stated. - Regarding political responsibility, it is clearly indicated: politically responsible for this case is the Minister of Justice, the Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar. [...] The question is whether it will end with a resignation - he pointed out.

09:11

Romanowski's Representative Announces Reports Against Individuals Who Wrote Legal Opinions at Myrcha's Behest
- We will be filing reports with the prosecution not only against the prosecutors responsible for this unlawful deprivation of liberty of a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, but we will also be filing reports against the two individuals who, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, specifically by Deputy Minister Myrcha, prepared these opinions which were meant to justify the use of coercive measures despite the possession of immunity - said Bartosz Lewandowski in the 'Morning Interview' on RMF FM.

09:23

Lewandowski:

Romanowski Cannot Be Detained Again on the Same Charges
- The lifting of Polish parliamentary immunity was effective, nobody disputes that. However, in light of the Code of Criminal Procedure [...] one cannot detain a person based on the same circumstances, evidence, and facts. [...] If the prosecution were to bring any other charges, they would have to initiate the procedure for lifting immunity again, in both bodies - said Bartosz Lewandowski in the "Morning Interview" on RMF FM. - As for the detention, law enforcement agencies have de facto consumed that detention on Monday, which was illegal and unlawful. Now, based on the same evidence or premises, one cannot detain [him] again after some time - emphasized Romanowski's lawyer.

10:02

Błaszczak Announces Application to ECHR Regarding Father Olszewski:

International Institutions Will Be Notified.
- We will be notifying international institutions, led by the Council of Europe, about the case which concerns the permanent violation of law. We will also file an appropriate application to the [...] European Court of Human Rights. This application will also concern Father Olszewski and two women who are being held in a mining arrest. [...] the way they were humiliated, the way they were abused, exhausts the modern definition of torture in our assessment – said Mariusz Błaszczak at a press conference.

10:14

Placing Poland on the Same Level as Russia or Belarus. Romanowski Announces Legal Action Against Bodnar, Among Others
- In recent days, we have witnessed an absolute disgrace of the Polish state due to the actions of Donald Tusk and Adam Bodnar, placing Poland on the same level as Russia or Belarus in terms of human rights and international law standards. Thus, we are now dealing not only with violations of Polish law but also with these international standards - said Marcin Romanowski at a press conference. - This arrest, which took place on Monday, an illegal arrest due to the immunity that is also linked to the privilege of inviolability, I will, together with attorney Bartosz Lewandowski, file a report, as will the team, in connection with the unlawful deprivation of liberty, in connection with the abuse of authority [...] the total penalty that threatens for such acts is 10 years of imprisonment - he continued. - This report will concern the individuals who made decisions in this area, meaning prosecutors [...] the decision-makers, which is the most important here, namely Minister Myrcha, Minister Bodnar, other individuals, as well as those who were the executors and instigators, I am referring to those who created these opinions, the role of Roman Giertych in this matter should also be examined - he went on to say.

10:23

Błaszczak:

Legal Opinions Commissioned by an Unauthorized Person
- These legal opinions were commissioned by an unauthorized person, by Deputy Minister Myrcha. We are exposing the entire pathological situation - Mariusz Błaszczak stated at a press conference.

10:48

Korneluk on the Romanowski Case:

We Will Decide on Further Steps.

- We respect the decision made yesterday evening as the prosecution, we have not yet familiarized ourselves with the written justification for the ruling and, depending on the arguments presented in that ruling, we will decide on further steps regarding this ruling – stated Dariusz Korneluk at a press briefing.


10:51

Korneluk Announces Appeal to the President of the PACE

- Today I will address the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with a relevant statement, providing information detailing the circumstances of the case, the subject of the proceedings concerning MP Romanowski, the accusations we intend to bring against him, as well as the temporal circumstances, i.e., when these events took place and whether, in particular, they were related to the MP's performance of his mandate in the PACE - stated Dariusz Korneluk at a press briefing.


10:55

Korneluk:

We Cannot Speak of Any Disgrace

- We cannot speak of any disgrace. I draw your attention to the fact that the prosecutor's office's stance is not an isolated one. There is a group of lawyers who say we are right, that this interpretation is not an individual interpretation, it is not devoid of legal argumentation, it is entirely appropriate. Law professors, members of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, are stating that the prosecutor's office is right, that MP Romanowski is not covered by immunity regarding these events that the prosecutor's office is investigating - stated Dariusz Korneluk at a press briefing.


10:57

Korneluk:

If I Have Made Any Mistakes, I Will Not Evade Responsibility

- I bear full responsibility for what I am doing today as the National Prosecutor. If I have made any mistakes, I assure you that I will not evade responsibility - stated Dariusz Korneluk at a press briefing.


10:59

Korneluk:

I do not rule out submitting a motion to the PACE to hold Romanowski accountable

- I do not rule out submitting a motion to the Parliamentary Assembly [of the Council of Europe] to hold Deputy Romanowski accountable. But that does not mean we have a settled position today - stated Dariusz Korneluk at a press briefing.


11:01

Grabiec:

Holding Criminal Organizations Empowered by PiS to Account Will Take Years

Rozliczenie zorganizowanych grup przestępczych wyniesionych przez PiS do władzy będzie trwało latami. Przestępcy będą korzystali z kruczków prawnych, tak jak to robili wyprowadzając publiczne pieniądze. Ale będzie praworządnie i sprawiedliwie - kara ich nie ominie - napisał na Twitterze Jan Grabiec.


11:44

Kosiniak-Kamysz:

Anyone who insults Polish Army soldiers will face consequences

- All those who, in any way, insult soldiers of the Polish Army, officers defending the Polish border, serving the Polish state, will face consequences for it, and this is already happening – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press conference.


11:44

Siemoniak on Cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Regarding Illegal Migrants:

Our Services Are Undertaking Appropriate Actions

- We have undertaken a whole series of actions, investments, and infrastructure developments. In recent days, the Border Guard has signed two agreements; one concerns the electronic aspects of border security, and the other concerns the additional investment and equipping of the barrier, which is quite easily overcome by those attempting to cross the border. Furthermore, regarding the fight against the root causes of what is happening, we have undertaken various efforts in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that citizens of those countries who are encouraged to illegally cross the Polish border are made aware on the ground that this is a crime, that this is not the right way to act. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our special services are undertaking appropriate actions – said Tomasz Siemoniak at a press conference.


11:45

Tomczyk on Eastern Border Security:

It's Not Just Poland's Concern, But the Entire EU and NATO's

- The defense of the eastern border of the Republic of Poland is not just a Polish issue, nor is it solely a matter for Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, or the border countries. It is a concern for the entire EU and the entire NATO. We cannot be alone in this, and we already have certainty today that we are not alone; the issue concerning Poland's border is today a European and NATO issue. This is an absolutely strategic matter for us, as it concerns the security of our state. Poles are investing tremendous effort in the complete modernization of the Polish army, and as a country, we are spending enormous amounts of money to ensure Poland is safe. It must be understood that these are not just tasks for the government of the Republic of Poland, which is why these issues are so important – stated Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.


13:24

Tusk reacts to Romanowski's release from custody:

What's delayed is not lost.
- Scenes like from a gangster film. A suspect is released from custody thanks to legal loopholes, hiding behind dubious immunity. The guardians of the law are hit by an avalanche of criticism, the public is disappointed. Moments like these happen in the fight against crime. But eleven charges, including participation in an organized criminal group, do not disappear. This is not the end of the film. The rule of law has many advantages, except one: it is not simple, and just like in gangster films, the bad guys can also exploit it. But only for a short time. The prosecution did its job well, gathering solid evidence. So: what's delayed is not lost - Donald Tusk wrote on Twitter.

14:23

Romanowski's Representative Announces Lawsuit Against Tusk

- Prime Minister Donald Tusk, I am very sorry, but for this post, Member of Parliament Marcin Romanowski has decided to sue you for infringement of his personal rights. He is not "suspected" of any crimes and - what is more - he is not suspected of participating in an "organized criminal group," which is solely an expression of certain wishes of the government side - Bartosz Lewandowski wrote on Twitter.


15:24

Politicians' Immunities Cannot Mean Impunity," Bodnar Announces Further Motions
Politicians' immunities cannot mean impunity for those who have broken the law. If someone has committed a crime, the prosecution will work with determination to bring them before an independent court. In this regard, further motions to lift immunities will certainly be sent to the Sejm, as well as the European Parliament. I would like to inform you that one such motion, which will be submitted in the near future, will concern MP Dworczyk – stated Adam Bodnar at a press conference.

15:35

Holding the PiS Governments Accountable: Bodnar Lists 20 Ongoing Investigations
- Since January 2024, we have been grappling in Poland with the process of holding accountable those responsible for legal violations committed between 2015 and 2023. This is a difficult and complex process due to the scale of the challenges and the number of cases. [...] In essence, there isn't a day, a week, when we don't learn about another important case requiring the prosecutor's office's involvement - stated Adam Bodnar at a press conference. The Minister of Justice then listed the 20 most significant cases currently being handled by the prosecutor's office. 1. The Fund for Supporting the Judiciary 2. Retention of documents concerning the case of Father Zbigniew Ziobro 3. Use of Pegasus software for surveillance 4. Various abuses at PKN Orlen, including fuel price manipulation, the connection with Saudi Aramco, and denying entry to NIK (Supreme Audit Office) controllers 5. Fraudulent appropriation of funds from the National Centre for Research and Development 6. Ryszard Czarnecki's "kilometrage" expenses 7. Actions of the Smoleńsk subcommittee and the destruction of certain evidence 8. The case of the Government Strategic Reserves Agency 9. The "Villa Plus" affair 10. The envelope elections 11. Michał Dworczyk's email inbox and the deletion of its contents 12. Renovation of the National Public Prosecutor's Office headquarters at Postępu 3 Street 13. The "hater" affair within the judiciary 14. The respirator affair 15. Purchases of personal protective equipment during the pandemic 16. The visa affair 17. Financing of election campaigns using funds from the Government Legislation Centre 18. The Collegium Humanum case 19. State Forests, use of the Forest Fund 20. The Hermes software case

15:41

Bodnar:

Let No One Count on a Thick Line
- Let no one count on some thick line, or on the prosecution forgetting about these matters [concerning accountability for the PiS governments]. On the contrary – these matters must be conducted and investigated reliably and thoroughly, because that is precisely what the voters fought for on October 15, 2023 – stated Adam Bodnar at a press conference.

15:57

Bodnar:

Court Decision Does Not Invalidate Justice Fund Investigation or Collected Evidence
- Yesterday's court decision regarding the application of pre-trial detention, which was made, among other things, based on a letter from the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [...], does not in any way invalidate the prosecution's investigation into the Justice Fund affair, nor the evidence collected in this matter - stated Adam Bodnar at a press conference. - I would like to emphasize that we still have a group of suspects, the proceedings are still in a developmental stage, and the evidence still indicates the possibility of committing crimes [...]. The court's decision will be analyzed after receiving the written justification for the court's ruling; we do not have this written justification yet - he conveyed. - Prosecutors will analyze the arguments presented by the court in the justification of the ruling, and then they will decide on the potential appeal of this decision. Let us remember that all decisions concerning pre-trial detention are considered by courts of two instances - he continued.

16:10

Bodnar:

Verification of Prosecutor Cadre Will Continue
- The verification of prosecutor cadre will continue, because both myself and the National Prosecutor are aware of how much political influence distorted many prosecutorial decisions during the governments of 2015-2023. Crimes that the prosecution was informed about then, if they concerned politicians of the then authorities, had practically no chance of being explained in any way - stated Adam Bodnar at a press conference. - I would like to emphasize that I am aware that many decent prosecutors work in the prosecution service, excellent specialists whose professional DNA does not allow them to be indifferent to all these abuses. I am counting heavily on their cooperation, on their commitment to verification and analysis of these matters, and on the efficient conduct of preparatory proceedings - he pointed out.

16:44

Bodnar Rules Out Resignation:

I am determined to serve the Republic.
- I am determined to serve the Republic and thoroughly investigate all matters related to abuses of power between 2015 and 2023. These 20 cases I have listed demonstrate the magnitude of this task - stated Adam Bodnar at a press conference, when asked if he was considering resigning in connection with the case of Marcin Romanowski.

19:11

Tusk:

PiS Citing Independent Courts and European Justice is a True Testament to Victory
- PiS invoking independent courts and European justice is a true testament to change and your victory. Savour it - wrote Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Twitter.

19:44

Tomczyk on the Romanowski case:

We are dealing with some confusion, and I think it will end soon.
- I think we are dealing with some confusion, and I believe this matter will conclude soon. The prosecution will file an appeal. Let us remember that the case is compromising for Mr. Romanowski across the board, meaning the whole of Poland could see recordings where competitions within the Justice Fund were rigged, and these funds went to political colleagues from PiS or Suwerenna Polska - said Cezary Tomczyk in an interview with Dariusz Ociepa on the program "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News. - This type of immunity is in effect en route and when returning from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is a politician; today, the secretariat of the Secretary General has spoken, and I believe these arguments will be utilized - he continued.

19:48

Tomczyk:

I Accept the Court's Decision, I Won't Be Like President Duda Saying 'They Won't Speak to Us Here in Foreign Languages'
- I also wish these matters were always faster and stronger, but one thing is fundamental here. [...] A democratic rule-of-law state has only advantages and one disadvantage, that it's not always to our liking. But we accept that. That is to say, I accept that this is the court's decision and I will not be like President Duda here saying 'they won't speak to us here in foreign languages,' I will not say like Ziobro that the judge needs to be held accountable for four generations. I say there are legal arguments, we have to go through this - said Cezary Tomczyk on Polsat News.

19:53

Tomczyk on Błaszczak's Disclosure of Poland's Defense Plan:

Sabotage Against Our Own State and Armed Forces.
- Mariusz Błaszczak revealed this due to an attempt to prove, a false one at that, a thesis [...]. During the election campaign, a top-secret document was declassified, which should have been declassified in 50 years, or 100. It contains sections concerning the defense of the state in case of an attack by Russia, in case of an attack by Belarus with Russia, or by some other actor on the international stage, and he did it solely for the purpose of the election campaign. This is not just reprehensible, it is simply sabotage against our own state and sabotage against our own armed forces - said Cezary Tomczyk on Polsat News.

19:59

Tomczyk:

No One Will Spat on a Polish Uniform with Impunity
- No one will be allowed to spit on a Polish uniform with impunity or insult soldiers of the Polish Army or officers of the Border Guard - said Cezary Tomczyk in Polsat News. - These individuals have been identified by the Police [...] these individuals will be punished either under the Code of Petty Offences or with charges. I have information from the Police that charges have been or will soon be brought against two individuals, as this concerns the physical assault of soldiers - he continued.