A statement from the First President of the Supreme Court, Małgorzata Manowska, regarding the government's and the Ministry of Justice's plans for so-called "neo-judges" has been published on the Supreme Court's website. The First President of the Supreme Court described them as "repressions."

- As the First President of the Supreme Court, with over 30 years of service in the judiciary, I express my outrage at the announcement made public on September 6, 2024, in the presence of Prime Minister Donald Tusk by the Minister of Justice, who also serves as the Prosecutor General, an announcement that constitutes an attack on the independence of the judiciary - reads the statement.

Manowska on Government Plans: They Can Only Be Compared to Repressions Faced by Judges under the Communist Regime
Commenting on Adam Bodnar's proposals, presented after last week's meeting with representatives of the legal community, she stated:

- The very announcements of these repressions by the government towards judges constitute a brutal attack on judicial independence, and their implementation will mean the destruction of the justice system. These repressions could affect a group of over 3,000 judges who have successfully passed the legally defined promotion procedure.

In Manowska's assessment, "the announced actions can only be compared to the repressions faced by judges during martial law by the communist regime."

- The institution of "self-criticism" proposed by the government is clearly reminiscent of the period of Stalinist terror and it is a disgrace that it would be applied to judges appointed to office in accordance with the provisions of law passed by Parliament - wrote the First President of the Supreme Court.

"The Prime Minister is Pressuring Independent Courts and Announcing Lawbreaking"
According to Małgorzata Manowska, Prime Minister Donald Tusk "is trying to intimidate the First President of the Supreme Court by initiating criminal proceedings for applying statutory provisions" and "is trying to prevent the election of presidents who lead the work of the chambers of the Supreme Court."

Furthermore, in her opinion, the Prime Minister "is pressuring independent courts by announcing a drastic reduction in the budgets of judicial institutions that stand in the way of his authoritarian aspirations, and is announcing lawbreaking to achieve his political goals."

"I Appeal to All Entities Who Do Not Consent to the Destruction of Judicial Independence"
- I appeal today to all entities that have legislative initiative and do not consent to the destruction of judicial independence [...] to take action, with the participation of representatives of the entire judicial community, truly aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, which is destructive to the justice system and to citizens - she concluded.