Judges entered the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw on Friday, following a dispute over whether oaths taken in Parliament supersede those administered by the President.
Judges Demand Access to Tribunal
Krystian Markiewicz, one of four judges previously denied access to work, announced they would go to the Tribunal on Friday to demand admittance. He also stated that designating a full Tribunal panel without allowing all judges to rule would be flawed.
Anna Korwin-Piotrowska similarly stated she expected to be allowed to participate in rulings.
Judges Enter Tribunal Building
On Friday, April 10th, judges arrived at the Tribunal by bus and waited for the gates to open, surrounded by police. All judges ultimately entered the building after 12:00 PM, with a press briefing announced.
Complaint Planned Against Tribunal Members
Adam Borowski announced his intention to file a complaint against Magdalena Bentkowska and Dariusz Szostek. The complaint concerns the judges who participated in a Thursday ceremony in the Sejm and re-swore their oaths, despite having already sworn before President Karol Nawrocki.
Borowski expects the Tribunal to initiate disciplinary proceedings against them.
Borowski Claims Oaths in Sejm Violate Constitution
“I think those two judges who were sworn in by the President, if these judges participated in that farce in the Column Hall, they have already betrayed the constitution,” Borowski argued. “What happened there is contrary to the constitution.”
Police Presence at Tribunal
Police officers have been guarding the Tribunal building since morning in anticipation of potential pickets and demonstrations, though none have materialized yet.
Judges Swore Oaths in Sejm
During a ceremony in the Sejm on Thursday, six judges selected in March swore their oaths. This included Dariusz Szostek and Magdalena Bentkowska, who had already sworn before President Karol Nawrocki, as well as Krystian Markiewicz, Maciej Taborowski, Marcin Dziurdaj, and Anna Korwin-Piotrowska.
The written oaths were then submitted to the Chancellery of the Sejm, after which all attendees went to the Constitutional Tribunal building. Sejm Marshal Włodzimierz Czarzasty stated he considered the procedure closed at that point.
Tribunal President Addresses Oath Issue
Bogdan Święczkowski stated during a press conference that he met with two Tribunal judges and “four people who were elected as judges of the Constitutional Tribunal.” He noted that the two judges who swore oaths before the President had assumed office, while the remaining four had not.
“I cannot recognize the event that took place in the Sejm as an oath before the President, unless the President informs me that he recognizes it,” Święczkowski said. He added that he had not been informed by the President that the oaths had been taken before him. He affirmed that these individuals, like any Polish citizen, have the right to enter the Tribunal, meet in the library, and submit documents.