The Minister of Foreign Affairs cannot recall ambassadors, but is their superior and can recall the ambassador to the country; The facility is then run by the charge d’affaires,” former Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz told PAP.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that the head of the ministry, Radosław Sikorski, decided that day to end the missions of more than fifty ambassadors and withdraw several candidacies submitted for approval by the previous management of the ministry. As reported, practical appeal procedures have been initiated.
Czaputowicz emphasized in an interview with PAP that Minister Sikorski did not fire anyone, “he only initiated the procedure.”
That is, the Foreign Service Convention presented the people who needed to be replaced. Minister Sikorski does not have the power to recall ambassadors, but the president can. After approval by the Prime Minister, the Minister submitted a request to the President to recall the ambassadors, who will be replaced by new candidates
– explained the former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In his opinion, “all these people are on the rotation list, which will take place in the summer.”
Several months are required to complete this procedure
– added.
Foreign Service Act
According to Czaputowicz, the problem is that the Foreign Service Act came into effect in 2021.
This new procedure says that ambassador is a political position. Previously, ambassadors were career diplomats who met certain criteria and were required to serve any government. Unfortunately this has changed
– noted Czaputowicz.
The former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the then head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, justified that ambassadors are politicians, just like ministers and state secretaries who represent the parliamentary majority.
In this entire situation, he said, the president should consider Sikorski’s requests point by point. According to Czaputowicz, the president must have a serious argument not to agree to dismissing the ambassador or appointing a new one.
It will be difficult for him to demonstrate that his candidate better represents the parliamentary majority than the candidate of the Convention and Minister Sikorski. Because what matters is not whether the ambassador is good or bad, but whether he has the support of the parliamentary majority
– added the former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, this system is flawed and should be changed so that ambassadors are generally diplomats.
He also pointed out that the Minister of Foreign Affairs cannot dismiss ambassadors, but is their superior.
And he can summon the ambassador to the country, as was the case. In such a case, there is no ambassador at the post and the post is managed by the Chargé d’Affaires
– noted Czaputowicz.
Historian of diplomatic protocol Janusz Sibora emphasized in an interview with PAP that the ambassador is appointed by the head of state, but in special situations can be replaced by a charge d’affaires ad interim (temporary).
He is appointed by the permanent Head of Mission (the reason may be, for example, the illness of the Head of Mission). The Head of Mission reports this fact to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the receiving country. It should be emphasized that the difference between an ambassador and a chargé d’affaires is expressed in terms of priority, and not in terms of competence. This also applies to privileges and immunities, which do not change. Technically, the procedure for appointing chargé d’affaires is simple. The required accreditation formalities, i.e. notification thereof to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are completed by the current Head of Mission, i.e. the Ambassador leaving the post. In this letter he mentions the name of his successor and his position
– said Sibora.
If these fifty ambassadors were brought to the country, we would have no ambassadors there and the minister – independently of the president – would send his chargé d’affaires.
– emphasized the historian of diplomatic protocol.
When President Duda was asked about the issue of ambassadors during his visit to the US, he said: “No Polish ambassador can be appointed or recalled without the president’s signature.”
The decision of the President of the Republic of Poland is of fundamental importance here
– he declared.
On Thursday, KPRP head Grażyna Ignaczak-Bandych said requests to recall ambassadors had not reached President Andrzej Duda.
Under the Foreign Service Act, the Ambassador is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic of Poland at the request of the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs, approved by the Prime Minister.
The minister responsible for foreign affairs shall seek the advice of the Foreign Service Convention before submitting the application. The Convention is composed of: the minister responsible for foreign affairs or a member of the management of the office that serves the minister responsible for foreign affairs as chairman designated by him; head of the Foreign Service; representative of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland; representative of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery.
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mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce