Opposition MPs are calling for Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka (PiS) to be recalled from the position of head of the parliamentary education committee. According to them, she convened a committee meeting regarding the draft amendment to the Education Act in violation of the Rules of Procedure of the Sejm. Stachowiak-Różecka assures that everything went according to regulations.
On Tuesday 11 July, the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Youth met to deliver the first reading of the government’s draft amendment to the Education Act, which includes the establishment of a network of sectoral skills centres. Opposition deputies then tabled motions to adjourn the meeting due to the too short time between the bill’s submission to the Sejm – which took place on July 10 – and the committee’s meeting. The motions were not accepted and the opposition MPs left the committee’s meeting, believing it had been convened in violation of the Sejm’s Rules of Procedure.
Continuation of the procedure
After the approval of the motion to speed up the date of the meeting, the committee continued its deliberations and the amendments tabled by PiS at first reading were passed. On Wednesday, a vote – because it was a contentious point – decided that the Sejm would hold a second reading of the bill that day. Project reporter Teresa Wargocka (PiS), citing that opposition deputies consider Tuesday’s meeting of the committee illegal, then said that the chair of the committee, after consulting the Legislative Bureau of the Sejm, had moved a motion for the meeting of the committee was to be held on a shortened date and it was passed, and the members of the opposition did not take part in the vote and later left the meeting.
On Thursday, the parliamentary education committee met again in connection with the amendments tabled to the draft amendment to the education law, in second reading. Before the vote took place, MP Piotr Borys (KO) said on behalf of the opposition that the procedure was illegal and that “in the opinion of all lawyers this bill should not enter legal circulation due to errors arising from the way the committee was convened.”
Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka (PiS) committee chairman quoted in response the provision of the Rules of Procedure of the Sejm stating that “the first reading may not take place earlier than on the seventh day from the handing over of the bill to the deputies, unless the Sejm or the committee decides otherwise” and pointed out that the opposition deputies did not participate in the vote on the motion to shorten the term.
At a later press conference, KO MP Krystyna Szumilas ruled that “we are facing another unprecedented scandalous situation in the Sejm.”
Well, the chairman of the education committee, Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka, convened the committee in violation of the rules, breaking all the rules, violating Rule 152, paragraph 5, which clearly states that the deputies must be notified of the committee meeting 3 days before the start of the committee, along with the topic and laws, resolutions, projects related to this topic
said the MP.
He added that opposition MPs called on the chairman of the committee to convene the meeting “in accordance with the rules, legally, in compliance with the law, because this false start of the procedure leads to the annulment of the law, which is very dangerous in the education system.”
Unfortunately, neither the chairman of the committee nor the Marshal of the Sejm, to whom we turned as opposition clubs, did not respond.
The law is further unlawfully violated outside the rules, PiS violates the rules it has adopted itself
observed Szumilas.
As opposition, we protest, we do not participate in the meeting of this committee, in this procedure
she added.
Member of Parliament Borys stated that “lawlessness” had taken place at the education committee meeting, which – as he said – “we cannot allow”.
That is why we, as opposition deputies, are tabling two motions: a motion to dismiss the Chairman of the Education Commission for violating the law, violating the Rules of Procedure of the Sejm, and a motion to inform the prosecutor’s office alleging misuse of powers and granting the status of the program committee as a victim
said Boris.
Lawlessness and injustice – this is how you summarize what has happened in the education committee and in the parliamentary chamber in recent days
– assessed the MP from the left, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk.
She added that “by illegally directing the education committee, the chairman of the committee, Member of Parliament Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka, has hurt not the opposition members, but teachers, students, local governments, universities and all those who need a clear , transparent and reliable education law.”
And she should be fired for that too
– Dziemianowicz-Bak added.
According to MP Dariusz Klimczak (KP-PSL), the history of the procedure of the draft amendment of the education law “clearly shows that today a formation is in power that unfortunately has nothing to do with law and justice.”
These people think that if they have a few more votes than the Democratic opposition, they can do anything, push any project with their knees. Unfortunately we cannot agree to this
said Klimczak.
Artur Dziambor, MP, who was present at the conference, stated that he signed a motion on behalf of the libertarians to sack the chairman of the education committee.
Stachowiak-Różecka’s answer
The chairman of the parliamentary education committee emphasized in an interview with PAP that everything was done according to the rules of the Sejm.
Firstly, in the first reading of the bill, the Program Committee agreed that the meeting of the committee would be held on a shorter date than in the regulations. In accordance with the rules, she agreed in the vote that this deadline should be shorter, the members of the committee agreed to the first reading and the full Sejm voted on Wednesday at 18 he agreed that the second reading of this draft should also take place during this meeting of the Sejm was to take place
– said Stachowiak-Różecka.
Not me, some president made it up, but there was a vote in the parliamentary hall yesterday at 18. The 1st Sejm has expressed the opinion with a majority that the second reading of this draft amendment to the Education Act will take place during this session of the Sejm
– emphasized the PiS MP.
gah/PAP
Source: wPolityce