Grodzki weighs in on Senate committee, KO list, and Giertych’s candidacy

If a body created by the Sejm to examine Russian influence is declared illegal and unconstitutional, a Senate Special Committee will be formed at the upcoming Senate session in September, according to Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki. When asked about Roman Giertych starting on the Sejm ballot, Grodzki said he would back the Civic Coalition in a challenging district.

Grodzki signals a fight over a Senate committee

Lobby groups were told they must nominate candidates by August 29 to join the commission tasked with investigating Russian influence on Poland’s internal security from 2007 to 2022, stated Andrzej Grzegrzółka, director of the Sejm Information Center, on Friday. The KO, PSL, and Lewica factions indicated they would not nominate candidates. The list of nominees for the committee is presented by PiS.

The Senate Marshal, speaking to reporters in the Sejm, stressed that the proposed commission is unconstitutional.

From the outset, Grodzki argued that the commission would promote impunity because its members would face no meaningful scrutiny or sanctions. He added that his side would prefer to distance itself from this committee.

He observed that the ruling bloc had issued conflicting signals about whether a committee on Russian influence would be appointed.

If established, a legally sound, regulatorily compliant Senate Special Committee to Investigate Russian Influence would meet for the first time at the next Senate session in September. Grodzki hinted at the possibility of revealing the initial nominees then.

He named PiS figures tied to national security and economic affairs as potential candidates, including former defense minister Antoni Macierewicz and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Grodzki noted that the Senate’s current term would reconvene in September.

He stressed that if the Sejm creates an illegal, unconstitutional committee, the Senate would respond by forming its own committee, Grodzki emphasized.

He described the proposed model as being influenced by the Senate’s Pegasus surveillance committee.

READ ALSO:

– Fogiel notes that a committee on Russian influence will be created and emphasizes political resolve.

— Reports suggest external pressure on the presidency regarding the Committee on Russian Influence, with responses from Sałek and Budka described as mixed.

– Critics say a presidential amendment has delayed work. Some argue the committee to investigate Russian influences will not be appointed during this Sejm term.

Commission on two facets of Russian influence

On May 31, a law establishing a commission to investigate Russian influence on Poland’s internal security for the period 2007-2022 came into force after presidential signing. The president had announced the intention to challenge the law at the Constitutional Court. Then, on June 2, Andrzej Duda submitted a draft amendment to the Sejm. The Sejm passed the amendment on June 16. On June 28, the Senate’s objection was rejected, and the president signed the amendment on July 31. It took effect in August.

The presidential amendment changes who can sit on the committee and removes earlier preventive measures, including a ten-year cap on holding public funding positions. It also clarifies that committee decisions can be appealed to the Warsaw Court of Appeal. The law specifies a nine-member panel drawn from senior state officials, with each deputy or parliamentary club allowed to propose up to nine candidates to the Marshal within a set deadline.

Giertych on the KO list

Grodzki was also questioned about Roman Giertych’s decision to run in the Sejm elections. During a meeting in Sopot, Donald Tusk, leader of the Civic Platform, announced that Giertych would appear on the Civic Coalition list in the Świętokrzyskie province in the final slots of the ballot.

Tusk also addressed Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński, joking that Giertych would lend support to the coalition by appearing towards the bottom of the list as a symbolic gesture.

In an interview, Grodzki said that while Giertych is a controversial figure, he is undeniably a heavyweight in Polish politics.

Grodzki added that he believes Giertych could help the KO in a tough race in the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, where the party is seeking to maximize its seat share.

When asked about Giertych’s conservative views on abortion, Grodzki signaled that Giertych should be questioned to clarify positions.

Roman Giertych is a lawyer and politician who formerly led the League of Polish Families. He served in parliament from 2001 to 2007 and held roles within the governing coalition from 2006 to 2007. He was deputy prime minister and minister of national education in the Gonz governments led by Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz and Jarosław Kaczyński.

Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship is the second-largest constituency by seats in Poland, with 16 seats available. Only Warsaw has more, with 20. In the 2019 parliamentary election, Law and Justice won 10 seats in Świętokrzyskie, while the Civic Coalition took three, and the Left, PSL, and Konfederacja each won one. PiS also carried all three Senate districts.

READ ALSO:

— Giertych’s removal from the KO list has been discussed; the last position in Świętokrzyskie is a topic of debate.

— Giertych on KO lists; Sellin says the platform lacks a clear agenda, criticizing it as a party of critics.

— Reactions rise after the announcement of Giertych’s KO candidacy; some find the move amusing, others alarming.

wkt/PAP

Source: wPolityce [Citation]