Żurek: Constitutional Tribunal President Is Not the Sun King
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced plans to restore the Constitutional Tribunal, target neo-judges with lawsuits, and investigate Zbigniew Ziobro’s departure to the United States....
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced plans to restore the Constitutional Tribunal, target neo-judges with lawsuits, and investigate Zbigniew Ziobro’s departure to the United States.
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Constitutional Tribunal and Neo-Judges
The Justice Minister stated that the Constitutional Tribunal is set to start adjudicating in a full, legal composition in late autumn. He assured that he has backup plans implemented step-by-step, though he declined to reveal the exact details regarding the Tribunal.
Minister Żurek noted that he does not support a reset strategy concerning the Tribunal, arguing it would be unfair to Supreme Court judges who defended the rule of law. He added that the European Court of Human Rights will unfreeze 1,100 cases against Poland in November, making it clear that Poland will lose every case regarding neo-judges.
Starting in August, the first regression lawsuits will be directed against neo-judges. These are precedent-setting cases requiring precise preparation, which Minister Żurek aims to win alongside Minister Maciej Berek.
Enforcement and Prosecutor’s Office
When asked about the scenario of entering the Tribunal by force, the Minister admitted it would rather be a decisive fulfillment of the ECHR’s interim measure to enable four properly elected judges to adjudicate. He emphasized that the President of the Tribunal is not the Sun King and assured that no one will be able to accuse them of breaking the law.
Addressing the Prosecutor’s Office, Żurek mentioned that while he works closely with Prosecutor Korneluk, they sometimes view the office differently. He criticized the regular leakage of personal decision information from the prosecution.
Zbigniew Ziobro’s Departure
Żurek commented on Zbigniew Ziobro’s escape to the USA, stating he wrote a letter to the American ICE regarding Ziobro and other hiding Poles to check individuals under deportation procedures. He added his belief that Ziobro’s departure could not have succeeded without a political umbrella, though he lacks hard evidence.
