Waldemar Zurek, Poland’s Minister of Justice, declared he would not retract the reform of the General Court Regulation, citing that the previously introduced ‘Ziobrolotek’ system caused disorder.
No Withdrawal Planned
The minister stated on TVN24 that he would not pull back from the amendment to the general courts’ regulation, arguing there are no grounds to reverse a decision he had already taken. He described the changes as “good, lawful and constitutional,” and noted they will enter force on 1 November.
Response to Presidential Office
In reply to comments from President’s Office chief Zbigniew Bogucki, who dubbed him a “minister of lawlessness,” Zurek said he regretted the damage done to the constitution and warned that his stance threatened the authoritarian camp that once built the state.
Rationale Behind Reform
He further explained that during PiS rule the National Judicial Council’s term was cut short, judges were avoided from swearing in, the Constitutional Court was undermined, and massive scandals erupted—actions he deemed illegitimate.
Problems with ‘Ziobrolotek’
The current random case‑allocation system, nicknamed “Ziobrolotek” for its dependence on a single Ministry figure, created chaos in court divisions. Judges often served in multiple panels, rushing between hearings and prolonging proceedings. The new regulation gives the division head authority to assign cases to clerks or to re‑assign panel members according to court president directives.
