Hołownia touches the constitutional tribunal
Sejm Marshal Szymon Hołownia said he would not be drawn into the dispute over an order aimed at the acting president of the Constitutional Tribunal, Bogdan Święczkowski, for missing the Pegasus Investigation Commission hearing. He told reporters the committee should decide the matter and that he would not intervene.
The Pegasus Investigation Commission released its findings, detailing the handling of Święczkowski’s absence and the public prosecutor’s role in setting the hearing. The panel backed the conclusions and moved to take the recommended steps.
Święczkowski did not attend the latest commission session and later described the proceedings as unconstitutional.
Hołownia touches the constitutional tribunal
Hołownia explained to reporters that Święczkowski and related figures should be questioned, but the decision must come from the committee, and he would not meddle. He noted that Święczkowski had also sent a letter urging efforts to fill the constitutional tribunal. Hołownia suggested another date would be set to advance the process so that no one could later claim he had failed to fulfill his duties.
Hołownia stressed that his political and social assessment remained unchanged. He described the current dynamics as a parody that undermines the tribunal and erodes its legitimacy in the eyes of the public.
He also outlined a path forward. The proposal was to enact and apply the constitutional provisions to complete the tribunal’s composition as soon as feasible. The aim was to end the current confusion and to avoid any back-and-forth that would delay reform. The speaker of the Sejm would be urged to move decisively and to prevent procedural obstructions from delaying the process.
In his view, the Sejm should act in line with the law governing the constitutional tribunal and bring it into operation promptly. The goal is to resolve the stalemate, fill the vacancies, and ensure the tribunal can function as intended. Any prolonged correspondence that hinders the parliament would be kept to a minimum, with a focus on a thorough system reform and a complete composition of the Constitutional Tribunal.
— He said.
Święczkowski’s answer
In a note posted on the Constitutional Tribunal website addressed to the Sejm speaker, Święczkowski said the Sejm was reviewing candidates to fill vacancies and urged the process to proceed.
Toward the end of November last year, Hołownia scheduled an additional deadline of December 11 to nominate candidates for the tribunal seats. Three names were under consideration: Mariusz Muszyński, Piotr Pszczółkowski, and Julia Przyłębska. The PiS club submitted two nominees, Artur Kotowski and Marek Ast.
The speaker is urged to take all possible actions within the Sejm and acknowledge the two applications for tribunal judges. Critics point to procedural obstructions by Sejm authorities, including the Justice and Human Rights Committee led by MP Paweł Śliz and the Sejm presidency, as inconsistent with Article 194, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution.
Since two candidates were put forward for three vacancies, the tribunal president stated the Sejm Speaker should set the next deadline for nominations.
Earlier this year the Sejm approved a resolution noting that actions affecting the tribunal could violate legal principles. Since then, tribunal judgments have not appeared in the Journal of Laws. A stance expressed in December warned that publishing official tribunal decisions might impact the rule of law, and it was added that documents issued by an unauthorized authority should not be published.
There will be no reconstruction from the government
Hołownia said there are no coalition talks about remaking the government. He added the forthcoming presidential election will carry weight and could prompt changes, but there are no formal plans for a cabinet reshuffle at this moment.
The deputy prime minister Krzysztof Gawkowski spoke on air about a possible government reconstruction after the presidential vote, calling it potentially strong and hinting that some ministries could be merged. Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, speaking on Polsat News, argued that any central administration reorganization must rest on a clear division of powers and should not wait for the presidential election. He also noted that the Ministry of Economy lacks a clearly defined role in the current setup.
Asked about the issue, the Sejm Marshal stated there were no discussions or plans within the coalition. He emphasized that nothing is advancing at the moment and the political calendar remains unsettled. He added the presidential election could carry weight, but no concrete plans are in place.
The most recent cabinet reshuffle happened in May of the prior year, with ministers shifting roles to form a new arrangement. Tomasz Siemoniak took the post of Interior and Administration, Hanna Wróblewska led Culture and National Heritage, Jakub Jaworowski ran State Activity, and Krzysztof Paszyk became Minister of Development and Technology. The goal was to align areas like construction, economy, agriculture, public administration, internal affairs, automation, and justice under clearer leadership.
The reshuffle aimed to balance duties across ministries while keeping essential government functions running smoothly and responsive to change. As politics shifts, the administration stays committed to sound governance and upholding the rule of law within the constitutional framework.