Polish Senate marshal announced former MP Marek Siwiec, who once parodied Pope John Paul II, as head of the Parliament Secretariat, sparking anger among the right‑wing.
New Chief of the Parliament Secretariat
Senate Marshal Włodzimierz Czarzasty presented the new composition of the Parliament Secretariat, appointing former MP and Europarliament member Marek Siwiec as its head. Siwiec served as a member of the Sejm from 1997 to 2004 and earlier led the BBN. During the communist era he belonged to the Polish United Workers’ Party.
Parody of Pope John Paul II
Siwiec’s nomination has provoked controversy after a 2000 incident where, following his exit from a helicopter, he mimicked Pope John Paul II by forming a cross and then kneeling, an act encouraged by former president Aleksander Kwaśniewski. Critics described Siwiec as a post‑communist collaborator and a former Służba Bezpieczeństwa agent, alleging that his antipopular actions led to calls for his removal.
Smoliński Mulls International Anthem?
MP PiS Kazimierz Smoliński tweeted that former PZPR affiliates are returning to Parliament and “saying we will sing the Internationale in committees.” Former culture minister Piotr Gliński echoed the sentiment, saying that former PZPR figures “retourna… with a full bang” and that leaders are imposing an alcohol ban in the Sejm.
Czarzasty Defends Siwiec’s Contact with Pope
During a press conference, Marshal Czarzasty emphasized that Siwiec is a “tested and responsible” figure, stating that political opinions “do not interest me.” He dismissed lawsuits against Siwiec, noting that courts had found no liability. Czarzasty added that any contact Siwiec had with the pope had been clarified.
