Navrocki Demands Security Forces Withdraw from Poland's Constitutional Tribunal
Poland's President Karol Navrocki announced the seizure of the Constitutional Tribunal and demanded the withdrawal of security forces from the building. He also called for urgent consultations with parliamentary representatives to resolve the political situation.
"Last night, the constitutional order of the Republic of Poland was violated, and a constitutional state body was seized by force. Due to the threat to Poland's internal security, I am convening urgent consultations today with representatives of parliamentary forces to address the political situation," the president stated.
Earlier, Navrocki abruptly cut short his official visit to Senegal and returned to Warsaw after special police units were deployed outside the Constitutional Tribunal. The police entered the building accompanied by selected judges, and the former chairman of the tribunal, Bogdan Swienczkowski, was stripped of his powers. This was reported by one of the elected judges, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, who stated that she was taking over the tribunal's leadership.
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"At such a moment, the president must be in Poland. I am interrupting my flight to Senegal. I am returning," Navrocki stated on social media.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government is seeking the removal of judges from the Constitutional Tribunal appointed by the previous right-wing government, currently led by the opposition nationalist party Law and Justice.
Amid the police operation outside the court building, numerous supporters of Law and Justice gathered, demanding the reinstatement of tribunal chairman Bogdan Swienczkowski.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General Waldemar Jurek informed reporters that he had requested the lifting of immunity from Bogdan Swienczkowski and his deputy Bartłomiej Sochański.
"Coup d'État": Tribunal Condemns This Move
In a statement on its official social media account, the tribunal described the events as a "coup d'état." The publication stated: "Ms. Anna Korwin-Piotrowska is not a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal." "All individuals involved in these actions are committing a crime of coup d'état," it further stated.
The conflict in Poland between the two political camps, represented now by President Navrocki and Prime Minister Tusk, revolves around the control of the Constitutional Tribunal, which can block reforms of the new government. Supporters of the president argue that the court's composition could not be changed without his consent, while government supporters claim that the court has been illegitimate for the past three years due to the president's actions blocking changes to its composition.
When the Law and Justice party was in power from 2015 to 2023, the European Union accused Poland's highest court of being too closely tied to the government.
The court has repeatedly ruled that Polish legislation takes precedence over EU law.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised to resolve the dispute with Brussels after winning the 2023 elections, but President Karol Navrocki blocked his appointments to the court.
