Michał Ostrowski, suspended for initiating a “coup d’état” investigation, has been reinstated by a Polish court after a 14-month suspension.
Initial Suspension and Investigation
Michał Ostrowski was appointed Deputy Prosecutor General a month after the October 15, 2023, elections by then-Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, following a request from Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro.
In February 2025, Ostrowski launched an investigation into suspicions of a “coup d’état” allegedly involving the Prime Minister and the Marshals of the Sejm and Senate, prompted by a notification from the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, Bogdan Święczkowski.
Suspension and Disciplinary Proceedings
Days later, Prosecutor General and Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar suspended Ostrowski for six months. A disciplinary prosecutor recommended extending the suspension, which was upheld by the Disciplinary Court at the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Court Ruling and Bodnar’s Absence
On Tuesday, April 7th, the court revisited the case, intending to hear testimony from Adam Bodnar, who did not appear due to Senate committee obligations. Radio Wnet reported that Ostrowski requested Bodnar be sanctioned, but the court denied the request, deeming it an unjustified measure for a first-time absence.
Reinstatement Decision
The court declined to extend Ostrowski’s suspension. Bartosz Lewandowski, one of Ostrowski’s legal representatives, announced that the Disciplinary Court had lifted the suspension. Lewandowski stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Deputy Prosecutor General Michał Ostrowski would return to work after 14 months.
Confirmation and Appeal Possibility
Prosecutor General’s spokesperson Anna Adamiak confirmed the court’s decision not to extend Ostrowski’s suspension, which was set to expire on April 10th. She added that the decision is subject to appeal after the publication of the court’s reasoning, which has been delayed for seven days.
Ostrowski’s Response
Ostrowski posted on X that the Disciplinary Court made the right decision not to prolong his “non-existence” in the prosecutorial service. He expressed hope that Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek would soon assign him tasks aligned with his qualifications, stating his desire to serve society and Poland.
Related Case: Judge Iwaniec
Judge Jakub Iwaniec, facing charges from the National Prosecutor’s Office for drunk driving, has resumed hearing cases. According to Wyborcza.pl, the judge is presiding over four cases involving drivers suspected of being intoxicated or under the influence.
Grounds for Initial Suspension
Ostrowski was initially suspended because, according to the National Prosecutor’s Office, he initiated the “coup d’état” investigation without prior registration in the prosecutor’s record-keeping system. Concerns were also raised about his close relationship with the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, who had been his subordinate between 2016 and 2022, and his awareness of the political nature of the notification.
Prosecutorial Leadership Conflict
The conflict surrounding the leadership of the Polish prosecutor’s office stems from changes made in early 2024, when then-Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar presented Dariusz Barski, the National Prosecutor, with a document stating that his reinstatement from retirement “was carried out in violation of applicable regulations and had no legal effect.”
Previous Complaint Against Bodnar
In January 2024, Ostrowski filed a complaint with the Warsaw Regional Prosecutor’s Office alleging a crime committed by Bodnar in connection with the attempted dismissal of Prosecutor Barski. In July 2024, a prosecutor from the Internal Affairs Department of the National Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the investigation, concluding that “the act does not contain the elements of a prohibited act,” meaning it did not constitute a crime.