Warsaw prosecutors have dismissed part of an investigation into an alleged “coup d’état” attempt, specifically concerning efforts to bring former KRRiT head Maciej Świrski before the State Tribunal.
Investigation into Świrski Dismissed
The Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office announced the termination of the investigation into the so-called “coup d’état” concerning actions aimed at referring former KRRiT (National Broadcasting Council) Chairman Maciej Świrski to the State Tribunal. Prosecutors determined that these actions did not constitute a crime.
According to a statement from the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson, prosecutor Piotr Antoni Skiba, the investigation was partially closed on April 13, 2026, regarding the constitutional responsibility of the former Chairman of the National Council of Radio and Television.
No Criminal Elements Found in Parliamentary Actions
The prosecutor found no evidence of criminal activity in the actions taken by lawmakers seeking to bring Świrski before the State Tribunal. A thorough legal and factual analysis revealed no criminal offenses.
Constitutional Tribunal Rulings and Parliamentary Rights
The assessment of the legality of these actions was not undermined by the interim order or the ruling issued by the Constitutional Tribunal (TK). The prosecutor leading the investigation determined that the TK violated the Code of Civil Procedure when issuing the interim order, thus allowing state authorities to disregard it.
The TK’s ruling in the matter did not come into effect as it was not published and was not in force at the time of the Sejm’s decision.
Origins of the ‘Coup Attempt’ Investigation
The investigation into the alleged “coup d’état” began in early 2025, initiated by Deputy Prosecutor General Michał Ostrowski following a notification from Constitutional Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski. Święczkowski alleged that the Prime Minister, Speakers of the Sejm and Senate, ministers, and the head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister had been operating as an organized criminal group since December 13, 2023.
The group allegedly aimed to change the constitutional order of the Republic of Poland and influence the activities of the Constitutional Tribunal and other constitutional bodies, including the KRS (National Council of the Judiciary) and the Supreme Court. The Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office took over the proceedings in late February of last year, with the KRRiT matter being one of several strands of the investigation.
Initial State Tribunal Motion and Accusations
A preliminary motion to bring Świrski before the State Tribunal was submitted to the Sejm by a group of 185 lawmakers in May 2024. The initiators accused the head of KRRiT of violating the law in three areas: blocking approximately 300 million PLN from license fees for public radio and television, blocking licenses for private broadcasters (TVN, TVN24, Radio TOK FM, Radio ZET), and failing to conduct statistical research on television viewership in Poland.
Constitutional Tribunal Challenge and Sejm Response
PiS (Law and Justice) lawmakers opposed referring the KRRiT head to the State Tribunal and appealed to the Constitutional Tribunal regarding the relevant regulations. They requested the TK issue an interim order obligating all Sejm bodies – including the Speaker and committees – to refrain from any actions related to bringing Świrski before the TS until the TK ruled on the challenged provisions.
The TK issued such an interim order in October 2024. In mid-July 2025, the Tribunal ruled that two provisions regulating the accountability of a KRRiT member before the State Tribunal were inconsistent with the Constitution. Constitutional Tribunal rulings have not been published in the Journal of Laws since March 2024.
Sejm Overrides Constitutional Tribunal Ruling
Despite the TK’s finding of unconstitutionality, the Sejm voted in late July 2025 to proceed with bringing Świrski before the State Tribunal, and the Speaker of the Sejm forwarded the resolution and related documents to the State Tribunal.
Accountability and Removal of KRRiT Chairman
Members of the KRRiT can be brought before the State Tribunal for violating the Constitution or the law in connection with their position or duties. The Sejm adopts a resolution to hold someone accountable before the State Tribunal by an absolute majority of votes, with at least half (230) of the statutory number of deputies present. Such a resolution suspends the individual in their functions.
Świrski did not recognize the Sejm’s decision, but on July 28, 2025, the KRRiT members decided to remove him from his position as Chairman. Agnieszka Glapiak was appointed as the new Chairperson.
Investigation into Ostrowski and Suspension
In February of last year, prosecutor Ostrowski was suspended in connection with the investigation into the “coup d’état.” The National Prosecutor’s Office reported that he initiated the investigation without prior registration in the prosecutor’s office’s record-keeping system. It was also noted that the Deputy Prosecutor General accepted a letter from the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, with whom he had “close relations” and had been subordinate to between 2016-2022.
He issued a decision to initiate the investigation and carried out further procedural actions “aware that the notification had a political dimension,” that “there were no grounds for taking action without delay,” and that “there were grounds for his disqualification from the investigation.”
Suspension and Disciplinary Proceedings
The suspension was extended at the request of the disciplinary spokesperson appointed to investigate the actions of the Deputy Prosecutor General. It was last extended to April 10 of this year. On Tuesday of last week, the Disciplinary Court at the Prosecutor General’s Office decided that the suspension would not be extended further.
Other Strands of the Investigation
Other strands of the investigation into the alleged “coup d’état” concern the National Council of the Judiciary and the Sejm resolution from December 2023, which stated that three Sejm resolutions from 2018, 2021, and 2022 regarding the election of judges – members of the KRS – were adopted in flagrant violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The proceedings also relate to the Supreme Court and include, among other things, the issue of “calling for the removal of so-called neo-judges from the Supreme Court.”
