“The results of the investigation will not deprive you of office.”
“We are strengthening the right to appeal to those under investigation.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda has proposed an emergency amendment to the law to hunt down officials who have been influenced by Russia. Previously, the United States and the European Union (EU) criticized the bill as a retreat of democracy.
According to the Associated Press on the 2nd (local time), President Duda said that he was aware of various objections, including from Poland, to a law on Russian influence proposed by the ruling party, the Law and Justice Party (PiS), and that the amendment was being sent to Congress to resolve it. However, it is not clear whether President Duda consulted with the ruling party in advance on the proposed amendment.
Regarding the amendment, President Duda said, “The law will be reviewed by non-partisan experts,” and “Incumbent lawmakers will not form the committee. Neither will the committee’s findings deprive him of office.” He added, “We are strengthening the right to appeal against those under investigation.”
However, he argued that the law was necessary for public transparency and to prevent Russian interference in Polish security.
President Duda urged parliament to act quickly, but Poland has a bicameral parliament, so amendments to the bill will take time.
The law sets up a commission to investigate Russian influence in Poland, giving it powerful powers.
The commission investigates allegations of Russian intervention in the country between 2007 and 2022. Ban anyone found to have acted under Russian influence upon investigation from obtaining security clearances or acting in charge of public funds for 10 years.
In other words, the committee has the power to effectively remove a person from public office.
However, the committee has been constantly criticized for its political repression targeting former Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Former Prime Minister Tusk is a leading opposition politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014 and the permanent president of the 2nd EU Summit from 2014 to 2019.
PiS accuses Tusk of being too friendly with Russia while he was prime minister, and of concluding a gas deal favorable to Russia before becoming head of the EU summit.
The bill has also faced criticism for violating the Constitution. This is because the opportunity to appeal through a formal judicial process over the investigation results may be deprived.
The US State Department and EU authorities strongly criticized it and expressed concerns about democracy in Poland. The EU has also threatened to act if the law clearly undermines democratic standards.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.