Warsaw judges have voiced their opinions on candidates for the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), favoring individuals supported by Iustitia and Themis.
Voting Results in the Warsaw District Court
The general assembly of judges at the Warsaw District Court issued opinions on candidates for membership in the National Council of the Judiciary on Monday. Fifteen candidates received the most votes within the court, and are backed by several judicial associations, including Iustitia and Themis.
The assembly saw participation from 112 out of 327 eligible judges, representing a turnout of 34.25%. The candidates with the highest support were:
Monika Frąckowiak, Sławomir Cilulko, Wojciech Buchajczuk, Ewa Mierzejewska, Jarosław Łuczaj, Beata Donhöffner-Grodzicka, Agnieszka Kobylinska-Bortkiewicz, Magdalena Kierszka, Aleksandra Wrzesińska-Nowacka, Katarzyna Zawiślak, Ewa Żołnierczuk-Dec, Karolina Bąk-Lasota, and Bartłomiej Starosta were among those with the most support.
Candidates with Minimal Support and Critical Voices
Among the candidates receiving only one vote were former Deputy Ministers of Justice Anna Dalkowska and Łukasz Piebiak, as well as dismissed disciplinary spokespersons Piotr Schab and Przemysław Radzik. Additionally, 21 out of 60 candidates did not receive any votes at the Warsaw District Court.
Concerns Over the Legality of the Opinion Process
Some judges are questioning the legality of the opinion process. Zygmunt Drożdżejko, president of the “Sędziowie RP” (Judges of Poland) Association, emphasized that the assemblies do not have statutory powers to conduct such elections, and that their organization aims to “satisfy the Minister of Justice.”
“Plan B” Procedure and KRS Election Schedule
The opinion of candidates by the judicial community is not provided for in the law, but constitutes the so-called “Plan B” of the ruling majority following the presidential veto of the amendment to the KRS Act. The Sejm has declared that it will take into account the results of these transparent votes when selecting 15 members of the Council.
Current KRS Member Selection Process
Currently, 15 judge-members of the KRS are elected by the Sejm by a 3/5 majority vote. This procedure, introduced in 2017, is the subject of dispute regarding the politicization of the Council and the status of so-called “neosjudges,” as raised in rulings by the CJEU and ECHR.
