“It is well known that it is impossible to build a rational republic based only on disputes and quarrels. We went into these elections as the Third Way with the slogan “enough arguing, move on!” and I think the president also expects that the rational center of the Polish political scene will be strengthened to stabilize tensions,” said Marek Sawicki, PSL MP and senior marshal chosen by President Andrzej Duda, in an interview with wPolityce.pl.
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wPolityce.pl: The president has chosen you as senior marshal. You expected that this could be the decision of the head of state, also taking into account the fact that Andrzej Duda could choose, among others: main PiS politicians: Jarosław Kaczyński or Ryszard Terlecki?
Marek Sawicki: I did not expect.
During his speech, the Head of State said that you have the longest parliamentary experience and that you are a man of dialogue. Did Andrzej Duda put forward any other arguments during the conversation with you?
He presented it more or less as in the message. During the conversation he asked me if I accepted his proposal. In such a situation, I will not ask the president if he is joking because it is not appropriate. I said I accept this position. He said that he made this decision because, due to my extensive parliamentary experience and my long presence in politics, I would lead the deliberations to inaugurate the tenth term of the Sejm in accordance with the Constitution and efficiently. I assured it would be so.
A warning appeared in Gazeta Wyborcza that the senior marshal – it was not yet known who he would be – could block the Sejm. This would be done in such a way that immediately after being sworn in, the senior marshal would announce an indefinite suspension of proceedings. In short, use the filibuster. I understand that this kind of behavior should not be expected of you?
Of course the Senior Marshal can do that, but I assured Mr. President that such numbers would not exist.
Are you looking for any further interpretation – beyond the official one – as to why the President has entrusted you with the position of Senior Marshal?
No absolutely not. I believe the president’s intentions are pure.
In the past, during the presidential elections, the President mentioned a ‘coalition of Polish affairs’, i.e. the need to cooperate with PSL and the Confederation. So isn’t the president’s decision also a nod to your political environment?
It is well known that it is impossible to build a rational republic based only on disputes and quarrels. We went into these elections as the Third Way with the slogan “enough arguing, move on!” and I think the president also expects the rational center of the Polish political scene to be strengthened to stabilize tensions.
From what you say, I conclude that it is unlikely that the PSL community will look for an opportunity to confront President Duda.
And why should we confront the president? Every government needs cooperation with the president; cooperation between state bodies is laid down in the constitution. Why should we be unconstitutional on this issue?
I must admit that I don’t remember any aggressive statements against the president from PSL representatives, but I do remember politicians who are supposed to form a coalition with PSL, especially KO.
I’m not from KO or the left. I am not responsible for the statements of those politicians and I am not really interested in what they say. I have my own specific view on social, economic and ideological issues. I don’t have to change them under the influence of current media opinions, surveys, etc. You mentioned ideological issues. Do you know whether the coalition agreement between KO, Left, PSL and Poland 2050 will include ideological issues? Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz publicly opposed its inclusion in this agreement, but KO and left-wing politicians indicate that they will be included somehow.
We live in a free and democratic country. Everyone has the right to want something, but consent and coalition means signing what we all agree with, not what we disagree with.
Yes, but will issues relating to women’s rights, for example, be included in this agreement?
Naturally. However, women’s rights do not mean a change in the customs and everything that the popular movement has always stood for and regarding our Christian roots.
Does this mean that women’s rights are not equal to abortion provisions?
Naturally.
In an interview with “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” you mentioned the possibility that the new chairman would convene a session of the Sejm within seven days after the President appointed the current head of government as Prime Minister, with one purpose: to consider a motion for a constructive mood. of distrust in the government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Would you actually like to see this implemented, or did you just mention this as a possibility?
Taking such a step is not within my competence, as a politician I can only assess, propose and assume it. I don’t know if something like that will be done.
So let me ask you another, direct question: do you think this is a good idea?
I think it’s a good idea, because any shortening of Prime Minister Morawiecki’s suffering is a good thing. This is so human, so humanitarian.
If such a move were implemented, the current opposition would likely have the opportunity to accelerate the formation of its government by perhaps two weeks. At the same time, however, there would likely be a sharp legal dispute over whether you could have made such a move at all, and there would probably be some legal opinions arguing that you could not have done so.
I repeat: I am Catholic and I believe that everyone deserves mercy. It is important to shorten the suffering of anyone, and it is known that Prime Minister Morawiecki will only tire himself by trying to build a majority in the Sejm, and not actually implement it.
I suppose that if Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki himself took it that way, he could refuse to take on the mission of forming a new government.
For some reason he could not refuse, but it is not yet known whether he will.
Following the President’s decision, the Prime Minister posted a message on social media indicating his acceptance of the mission entrusted by the President.
Good luck.
In a recent interview to the Interia portal, the Prime Minister said he would look for “righteous” people among opposition MPs. Can some of the needed 37 “righteous ones” be found in PSL?
As an experienced politician, I give good advice: if the Prime Minister is looking for ‘righteous people’, he should also look for them in his political environment. It may soon become apparent that not everyone around him is ‘righteous’.
So far, no one from the PiS club has publicly announced that they will not support Mateusz Morawiecki. On the contrary: Jacek Ozdoba announced that Sovereign Poland will support this candidacy.
On our side, no one is willing to support Mateusz Morawiecki, and you’re all asking about it anyway.
The Prime Minister announces “fishing” for MPs, so the question is whether this can be successful, for example in the PSL environment.
I would also feel much better if I stopped my political career and was now in the second term of the Sejm, and not in the tenth. However, time does not come back. The Prime Minister also has the right to have wishes. Everyone shouts why PiS is trying to form a government. And then I ask: why do you deny them hope? Everyone has the right to hope.
Why then table the idea of a constructive vote of no confidence against the government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to quell these hopes?
Let PiS plot. I answer again: I do not deny anyone the right to hope, hope dies last. I’ll just say what I said before and I don’t take it back: shortening Mateusz Morawiecki’s suffering is also an act of mercy.
I will repeat this: if the Prime Minister does not want to make this attempt, he can refuse.
Naturally. This is his decision.
How do you see the possibility of collaboration between PSL and PiS in the future? Now we know what it looks like, but if PiS’s attitude towards PSL changes to a non-confrontational attitude, as is currently visible, will cooperation between PSL and PiS ever be possible?
I always believe that cooperation between people is possible. At what level and in what formula I don’t know. It depends on two parties, not just one.
For the time being, there are signals from PiS that it would like to collaborate with PSL.
Yes, today PiS’s willingness to cooperate with PSL has increased, it is a shame that this has not been visible for eight years. PiS’s goal in 2015-2019 was to liquidate the parliamentary club PSL and wipe our party off the political stage. After eight years of such ‘friendliness’ and ‘openness’, we are ‘very keen’ to start discussions about possible cooperation and mutual support.
Source: wPolityce