Judge Sylwester Marciniak informed PAP that he had set the date of the National Electoral Commission meeting for Monday, October 28. The National Electoral Commission will discuss the party’s 2023 reports, but it is not certain that final decisions will be made on the largest parties, including PiS.
The head of the National Electoral Commission did not indicate what the final agenda for the Oct. 28 meeting would be or whether the commission would consider the 2023 financial reports of the largest parties.
It’s hard to say for sure at this point, work is still going on, there are still two weeks to go until the meeting. You must prepare draft resolutions, analyze reports and expert opinions
– he said.
We still have to adopt many resolutions on the financial reports of committees on the elections to the Sejm and the Senate. There are also reports from political parties about the past year. There are almost a hundred parties and so far we have adopted ten reports.
– said Marciniak. He also announced that the National Electoral Commission would meet more frequently.
The key role of the Supreme Court with regard to the PiS report
The head of the National Electoral Commission also did not want to prejudge the future fate of the 2023 PiS report, pointing out that the Commission’s decision in this case depends on the Supreme Court’s decision on the PiS complaint against the decision of the National Electoral Commission to submit the commission’s report on the parliamentary elections.
Under the Political Parties Act, as a result of the rejection of the report of the PiS election committee in the House of Representatives elections, the party report from 2023 should also be rejected for subsidies for a period of three years.
The Supreme Court has 60 days to hear a complaint against the National Electoral Commission’s resolution to reject the Electoral Commission report. The effect with regard to the political party depends on the finality of the decision of the Electoral Commission or the dismissal of the complaint by the Supreme Court. The possible legal consequences are closely related
– said Marciniak. Marciniak also noted that there is still no information on the date of the Supreme Court meeting in this case. The 60-day period for hearing the Supreme Court complaint expires in early November.
The problem is that the status of the Supreme Court’s Chamber for Extraordinary Scrutiny and Public Affairs – which has the power to hear the PiS complaint, rule on election cases and is crucial in organizing the elections – is also affected by the current government is being questioned. such as some members of the National Electoral Commission.
There will definitely be a solution, and most of it. I can’t imagine that the elections aren’t approaching quickly
– said the head of the Commission.
He recalled that the Chairman of the Sejm must make a decision no later than early February setting the date of the presidential elections, after which the National Electoral Commission will accept notifications on the establishment of electoral commissions and register candidates.
We need to adopt several dozen resolutions on the conduct of elections, and it should be noted that electoral commissions will have the right to appeal the resolutions of the National Electoral Commission to the Supreme Court. Strict time limits apply, two days to file a complaint and two days to process the complaint. I cannot imagine a situation in which by then – if we want to hold elections – the question of who will hear the complaints has not yet been resolved.
– he emphasized.
PAP also asked the head of the National Electoral Commission if he was still considering resigning from office.
I do not and have never considered resigning in the actual sense of the word, but there is always a moment to wonder whether it is worth putting his name behind actions that he did not is convinced.
– replied Marciniak.
“There have never been so many different controversial issues in history.”
He also pointed out that the National Electoral Commission has never had so many problems accepting or rejecting financial reports as it is now.
Never in history have there been so many different controversial issues, not only legally, but also economically. This is a huge burden. This is combined with the voices of politicians who want to pursue their own political activities at the expense of the electoral authorities. This is not an easy situation
– he emphasized.
Marciniak also stressed that he is in favor of detailed control over party financing and election campaigns, but first the Commission must be provided with legal instruments for such control.
Rejection of PiS’s financial report by the National Electoral Commission
At the end of August, the National Electoral Commission rejected the PiS commission’s financial report on the 2023 parliamentary elections. The National Electoral Commission alleged irregularities in PiS’s campaign financing in the amount of PLN 3.6 million. Therefore, the subjective subsidy for this party (almost PLN 38 million) was reduced by three times the disputed amount, i.e. by approximately PLN 10.8 million. In addition, the annual subsidy of almost PLN 26 million was reduced by PLN 10.8 million. PiS had to repay the disputed amount, namely PLN 3.6 million, to the Ministry of Finance.
On September 9, PiS filed a complaint against the National Electoral Commission’s decision regarding the financial report with the Supreme Court’s Chamber for Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs. According to party chairman Jarosław Kaczyński, the decision of the National Electoral Commission was taken “in complete contradiction to the law”.
tkwl/PAP
READ ALSO:
— The National Electoral Commission has rejected the PiS Commission’s financial report! Subsidy reduced by PLN 10 million. In total, the party could lose more than PLN 50 million
— A sensational turnaround in budget funds for PiS! “He gets (…) a grant and a subsidy.” The reason was a dispute in the National Electoral Commission
Source: wPolityce