On Monday, May 29, the Polish president gave the green light to the creation of a commission of inquiry into “Russian influence in Poland”. The opposition and many jurists describe the body as ” unconstitutional “.
Composed of nine members chosen by a lower house dominated by the populist nationalist camp, the commission of inquiry into “Russian influence” will be able to decide whether or not the country’s political leaders succumbed to Russian influence in the years 2007- 2022. The person found guilty may be banned from holding public positions related to access to public finances and classified information, for 10 years, in order to ” to prevent him from acting again under Russian influence to the detriment of the interests of the Republic of Poland under this law. The head of the commission will be appointed by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Its members do not incur any responsibility for their decisions.
In early May, the text was rejected by the Senate, controlled by the opposition, but the nationalist majority managed to adopt it in a second vote in the lower house on Friday, with 234 votes in favor and 219 against. All that was missing was the signature of President Andrzej Duda, also from the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), for it to come into force. It is now done. According to the power, such a commission is essential to eliminate Russian influence in Poland, a faithful ally of Ukraine attacked by Moscow. ” I hope that Parliament will responsibly choose the members of the committee “, wished Andrzej Duda in a television statement on Monday.
A law deemed unconstitutional
But many observers are worried about this term “Russian influence”, considered too abstract and which the commission of inquiry could abuse. Many jurists see it as a real instrument of political repression and consider this commission, which violates the principles of separation of political and judicial powers, as largely unconstitutional. The body also assumes the powers of a prosecutor and a court at the same time. No appeal body for these decisions has been provided for by the authorities, except in the event of any formal irregularities concerning the functioning of the commission.
According to the opposition and many commentators, the law is intended to compromise the opponents of the populist Law and Justice (PiS) before the legislative elections scheduled for the fall. The opposition describes the text as “lex Tusk” (Tusk law), named after the leader of the main centrist opposition formation Civic Platform (PO), Donald Tusk, former Polish Prime Minister in the years 2007-2014 then President of the European Council, pet peeve of the power in place. According to her, the law is intended to compromise opponents of the power in place and prevent Donald Tusk from winning the fall election. The latter himself considered on Friday that the commission was intended to ” eliminate it “.
PO General Secretary Marcin Kierwinski called it on Monday ” stalinist », while the leader of the peasant party PSL of « puppet court “. ” The place of this Bolshevik law, contrary to the Constitution, international law and pure reason is in the trash Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz tweeted. With one voice, the entire opposition, from the left, from the center and even from the far right, declared that it was not going to take part in the work of this commission, which marks “ the end of democracy in Poland and pushes the country to civil war “, according to Szymon Holownia, the president of the party Poland 2050 (center).
According to observers, the commission is intended to ward off the accusations raised by several journalistic investigations into the PiS, suspected of acting itself under “ russian influence and to maintain close contacts with European politicians suspected of links with Russia, including the leader of the French National Rally, Marine Le Pen.
(With AFP)