Łukasz Mejza refused to accept a speeding ticket, citing parliamentary immunity, but later said he would pay the fine or give up his immunity if necessary.
The incident occurred on Monday morning on the S3 expressway in the Lower Silesia region, according to local police.
“Officers stopped a car traveling at 200 kph in a 120 kph zone,” said Przemysław Rybikowski, spokesman for the Polkowice County Police.
The fine issued was PLN 2,500 (EUR 590, USD 685) and 15 penalty points, but Mejza declined to accept it at the scene.
In a statement sent to state news agency PAP, Mejza admitted fault, saying, “I behaved badly, and nothing excuses it. I apologize. This situation will not happen again.”
He added that he refused the ticket because he was “rushing to the airport” and did not want to delay his trip, although he “ended up being late anyway.”
“If there is a legal possibility, I will pay the fine right away,” Mejza said. “If not, I will immediately waive my parliamentary immunity and take full responsibility, because I am a man of character, not someone hiding behind immunity.”
Mejza, who served as a deputy sports minister in Poland's previous right-wing government, also compared the situation to a 2021 speeding incident involving Donald Tusk, now Poland’s prime minister, who lost his driver’s licence for three months after exceeding the speed limit in a built-up area.
Łukasz Mejza. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński commented on the case, saying on social media: “The police did their job. Mejza will answer for this barbaric joyride.”
Ministry spokeswoman Karolina Gałecka said police would ask the prosecutor-general to request the Speaker of the Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament, to lift Mejza’s immunity.
“The law applies to everyone,” she said.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP