Bodnar criticizes Minister Żurek’s actions as overtly political, comparing them to Star Wars theatrics in a DGP interview.
Judicial-Political Relations
Bodnar rejects describing interactions between judges and politicians as “flirting,” suggesting this implies ongoing arrangements. He argues PiS governance has entangled the judiciary in politics.
Reforms and Influence
Reforms implemented since 2017 by Deputy Minister Łukasz Piebiak, acting for Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, aimed not necessarily to subordinate the judiciary to politicians, but to secure greater influence over judges and the justice system.
Political Appointments
The strategy involved controlling judicial appointments and attempting to silence dissenters. Figures like Aleksander Stępkowski, a former Ordo Iuris activist and Deputy Foreign Minister, became prominent Supreme Court justices.
Resistance and Necessity
Protesting judges like Igor Tuleya, Paweł Juszczyszyn, Waldemar Żurek, and Piotr Gąciarek were forced into political actions not to enter politics, but to counter the seizure of the judiciary. Bodnar credits their efforts with preventing Poland from aligning with Viktor Orbán’s model.
