Nawrocki Pardons “Staruch”: Tusk Weighs In on Presidential Decisions

President Karol Nawrocki has issued pardons for three individuals, including a prominent Legia Warsaw fan leader, drawing sharp criticism from Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other political figures.

Three Presidential Pardons Issued

In recent days, President Karol Nawrocki decided to pardon three more individuals: Adam Borowski, Piotr Pytel, and Piotr Staruchowicz, alias “Staruch”.

Adam Borowski, a democratic opposition activist in the Polish People’s Republic, was previously sentenced to six months of imprisonment for defaming lawyer and KO MP Roman Giertych. Meanwhile, Piotr Pytel was sentenced by a court in Munich to life imprisonment for a murder which, according to the Polish prosecutor’s office, he did not commit.

Details of the Stadium Ban

“Staruch” pardoned by Karol Nawrocki.

In turn, Piotr Staruchowicz, alias “Staruch”, one of the leaders of the Legia Warsaw fan circles, was penalized by a court with a two-year ban from attending mass events, known as a stadium ban. The court punished Staruchowicz because during a match between Motor Lublin and Legia Warsaw in March 2025, he was present in an area not intended for the public, specifically on the stadium fence.

Last December, during a conversation with President Nawrocki on Kanał Zero, Staruchowicz called into the studio, presenting his situation to Nawrocki and asking whether “Santa Claus will bring him a pardon this year”. The president stated at the time that pardon requests would be dealt with at the beginning of the year, but admitted that “it sounds strange for a fan responsible for chanting to not be able to enter the stand leader’s podium”.

Donald Tusk Reacts to the Decision

Donald Tusk on Karol Nawrocki’s decision.

The pardoning of “Staruch” stirred particular emotions in the political world. “Some pardons say more about presidents than all their speeches combined,” commented Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Tuesday on the X platform regarding Karol Nawrocki’s decision, without mentioning a specific name.

The matter had previously been addressed by, among others, Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński. “Pardoning someone like Staruch shows what kind of Poland President Nawrocki dreams of,” the politician commented.

“Staruch is a symbol of the hooligan world. He had a conviction for robbery, participation in a brawl and beating (quote from the files: ‘he kicked him all over the body’). He struck a footballer in the face, was detained in riots, and had a stadium ban. With his decision, Nawrocki honors such acts and supports hooliganism,” wrote KO MEP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz on the X platform.

Presidential Office Defends the Ruling

Leśkiewicz: This case was obvious.

Presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz, addressing the “Staruch” case, noted that “it was an incident” and “the previous cases ended in a conviction”. – The person who was convicted at the time (…) served their sentence, answered for their actions – said Karol Nawrocki’s representative.

Leśkiewicz emphasized that the pardon concerns a specific case from 2025 and a conviction under the Petty Offences Code. According to him, the case “was obvious”, and the court’s decision to punish this person with a so-called stadium ban was, according to President Nawrocki, unjust.