Polish MP Paweł Śliz Mażek of Polska 2050 realized, to his dismay, that his microphone was not off during a Sejm committee debate, leading to a profanity‑laden outburst captured on tape.
Chaos on Justice Committee
The Justice and Human Rights Committee was scheduled to discuss portions of a budgetary bill touching key institutions, including the Office of Personal Data Protection, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Constitutional Tribunal.
During the session, MP Paweł Szrot from PiS requested a recess so that committee chair Paweł Śliz could contact the deputy chair, Pawel Suski of the PO.
Szrot’s suggestion was rejected as too late, and the subcommittee meeting on the bill concerning volunteers fighting for Ukraine’s freedom was postponed.
Conflict over Proceedings
The issue centered on a bill abolishing penalties for Polish volunteers fighting for Ukraine’s sovereignty, handled by both the National Defence and Justice & Human Rights committees.
Informational filings indicated the subcommittee was set for Thursday, but the session was cancelled.
While Szrot explained the bill was straightforward, Śliz queried how it related to the budget, prompting a brief recess.
Subsequent Votes and Outburst
MP Tomasz Zimoch, previously affiliated with Polska 2050, asked if a pause would occur during plenary voting, which Śliz confirmed.
Paweł Jabłoński of PiS then moved for a closure of the subcommittee meeting, citing the urgency of the volunteer bill, a motion ignored by Śliz.
After a vote that saw 15 members in favor and 13 opposed—supported by two KO MPs—Śliz, believing his microphone was muted, delivered a string of profanity, which was recorded.
Apology and Public Response
Śliz posted a statement on X, admitting the moment was highly charged, apologizing to Tom Zimoch both via phone and X, and pledging to avoid such incidents in the future.
He stated, “I take full responsibility for every word I say as a public figure and committee chair.”
