The first president of the Supreme Court, Małgorzata Manowska, will head the Labor Chamber of the Supreme Court until the president appoints a judge to take over the duties of the president of the chamber. This did not please Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who declared at a press conference that President Manowska had committed an “attack” and threatened to report the suspicion that the first president of the Supreme Court had committed a crime.
Although the conference between Prime Minister Tusk and Finance Minister Andrzej Domański was supposed to be aimed at additional funds for local governments, the head of government did not miss the opportunity to attack the president of one of the last institutions that Tusk’s team failed to admit to “strong people.”
How exactly to explain what makes some people indignant – that more money than last year will be spent on the Institute of National Remembrance, the Chancellery of the President or, for example, the Supreme Court. People are surprised how this is possible. How come Tusk or Domański… Well, we save on ourselves, as much as we can effectively save on expenses, and we give more to President Duda or the Institute of National Remembrance
– said the prime minister. Such a large number of ministers and state secretaries actually ‘promotes’ saving. Especially when new limousines had to be ordered at the beginning of this year.
There is a certain category of institutions for which the government does not design the budget. They only send information about their budget and the only thing the government can do is include it in the budget that goes to the Sejm. Only members of parliament can decide that these so-called sacred cows, because in the language of politicians and financiers, institutions that design their own budgets are called that
– Tusk explained it reassuringly, making it clear that it was not he who wanted to talk about “sacred cows”, it was just a commonly used saying.
““The Attack of Mrs. Manowska”
And then… he went on the attack.
We will try to convince MPs from all parties to spend significantly less money in relation to our savings in government institutions. Both the Chancellery of the President and the Institute of National Remembrance, and I am not talking about institutions whose existence is formally questionable, and whose functioning is even more questionable – I am talking about the Supreme Court.
– he emphasized.
Especially after today’s attack by Mrs Manowska again. I have consulted with the Minister of Justice, the case is clear. There will be a referral on suspicion of committing a crime, not the first time for Mrs Manowska, formerly deputy minister under Ziobro in 2005-2007, committed to PiS, which today took control of the Labour Chamber of the Supreme Court
– the head of government added.
I don’t know why. Ask President Duda, because it is his right to send me the proposal of the new head of the Chamber of Labor. Something very strange and terrible has happened. This attack by Mrs. Manowska cannot be recognized and no decent and serious person, including the judges sitting in this House, will respect her absolutely illegal decision to take control of this House.
– Tusk stressed.
End of Judge Prusinowski’s term
The situation in the Labour and Social Security Chamber of the Supreme Court is caused by the fact that the term of office of the current president of this Chamber, Piotr Prusinowski – a judge appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary before the changes in 2018 – expired on September 2 this year.
However, President Prusinowski did not convene a meeting of judges to select candidates for the new president.
In February 2024, the Assembly of Judges of the Chamber of Labor adopted a resolution to postpone the meeting indefinitely until changes are made to restore the rule of law in the Supreme Court. To date, no changes have occurred. Therefore, I have no reason to convene a meeting and elect candidates for the presidency
– President Prusinowski recently told “Rzeczpospolita”.
As President Prusinowski noted: “from September 3 this year. “The presidential powers will be transferred to the oldest incumbent chairman of the department, that is, in our case, Judge Dawid Miąsik.”
However, in accordance with the provision introduced into the law on the Supreme Court during the PiS government, if the candidates for the presidency of the chamber are not elected in accordance with the rules, the President immediately entrusts the performance of the duties of the presidency of this chamber to a judge of the Supreme Court designated by him, who must convene a meeting of judges of this chamber within a week.
Mr. President, on September 3 of this year. can exercise this right, there is only one condition. The mandate decree must be co-signed by the Prime Minister, i.e. Donald Tusk
- President Prusinovsky said to Rz.
However, for the time being, there is no such presidential decree. The First President of the Supreme Court referred – according to information on the court’s website – to the provision of the law on the Supreme Court, which states that “the First President of the Supreme Court manages the work of the Supreme Court and represents the Supreme Court externally.”
Therefore – it was announced – “from September 3, 2024, until the appointment of a judge to the Supreme Court as referred to in Article 15, pair 4 of the Law on the Supreme Court, in accordance with Article 14, pair 1 of this Law, the work of the Chamber of Labor and Social Security will be managed by the First President of the Supreme Court.
aja/PAP, YT: Chancellery of the Prime Minister
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.