In a rebuttal to Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek, Polish President Karol Nawrocki accused the minister of disregarding constitutional provisions on judge nominations, sparking a tense exchange over legal authority.
President Responds to Minister’s Allegations
President Karol Nawrocki said that Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek is ignoring the constitution that clearly defines the president’s competence to nominate judges. He added that the minister also lacks knowledge of the 2012 Constitutional Tribunal ruling.
Nawrocki stated that in the minister’s legal balancing act, there is no need for justification, because all judges appointed by the president must rule, not transform court rooms into parliamentary chambers.
Minister’s Comment on the “Key to Refusal”
Before a press conference, Minister Żurek commented on President Nawrocki’s refusal to nominate 46 judges. He said the motives of the refusal were “whisperings” from the minister, which he claimed were unacceptable to the president, and that this was entirely outside the law and constitution.
He asserted that such an approach to nominations violates the constitution.
President’s Final Remark
Nawrocki warned that the minister appears to be slowly “eating his own tail” in legal balancing, wishing him a pleasant legal gymnastics session.