Speaking to journalist Marcin Fijołek of Polsat News, Żurek cautioned that such actions by President Nawrocki - who is backed by right-wing populists from the Law and Justice (PiS) party - could ultimately expose the head of state to legal consequences.
According to the minister, the president’s conduct “lies outside the law and amounts to a path towards violating the constitution, which could end before the State Tribunal.”
“Many legal experts are already discussing the matter,” Żurek said. A clip of his remarks was shared on social media by, among others, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
Żurek added that President Nawrocki has already earned the nickname “Mr Veto” in Poland.
The minister, who is trained as a lawyer, stressed that the president’s increasingly frequent use of veto powers to block legislation is legally unacceptable.
Minister Żurek accuses Poland’s president of incompetence
“I have the impression that the president, without changing the constitution, wants to impose a presidential system in Poland. He would like ministers to ‘report’ to him so that he can hold them to account,” Żurek said.
Accusing the president of lacking competence and an understanding of Polish law, he referred to Nawrocki’s recent decision to block the promotion of 46 judges.
In Żurek’s view, the president’s justification is “entirely unacceptable” in a state governed by the rule of law, contradicting the Polish constitution as well as case law from European courts.
President Nawrocki is paralysing the Polish state, warns minister Żurek
“In my opinion, the president is now entering a stage in which his actions can be classified as breaches of the constitution - and, naturally, that carries the risk of proceedings before the State Tribunal,” Żurek stressed.
The minister added that an increasing number of Polish legal scholars are holding discussions that may soon translate into steps to hold Nawrocki legally accountable, should he continue to obstruct the government’s work while enjoying support from the right-wing PiS party.
“Please note that this is not a single decision, but the paralysis of the entire state,” the justice minister said.
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Source: Polsat News/X/@Graffiti_PN