The rotating chair of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia, stated that the mandate of MP Kamiński will be fulfilled while that of MP Wąsik has expired. He emphasized that for any procedure to begin, a clear and consistent position from the Supreme Court is necessary.
Hołownia places the burden on the Supreme Court
Journalists questioned the Speaker about the status of the mandates of former CBA heads and PiS politicians Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik. Hołownia clarified that the expulsion of fines occurred after a ruling on December 20 of the previous year, and that the court had effectively annulled them, not the Speaker. He warned, however, that confirming this extinction is a separate step needed to initiate the process to fulfill the mandates of the two former parliamentarians.
He added that if there is an appeal against the decision on Kamiński’s mandate, which he sent to the Chamber of Labour and Social Security, the Supreme Court’s Chamber is expected to have considered it. Regarding Wąsik’s mandate, Hołownia said he was sending inquiries to the President of the Chamber, Piotr Prusinowski, asking what has happened to the documents submitted to the Chamber of Labour. Hołownia stressed that he wants to know whether the files have been examined, archived, or subjected to a ruling, as this affects civil servants and parliamentary appeals.
In summary, the decision on Kamiński’s mandate was published in Monitor Polski, while the decision on Wąsik’s mandate remains unpublished until the ongoing issues at the Supreme Court are resolved. The aim is to obtain a clear, irrevocable legal basis to proceed. This was described by the Speaker as a matter requiring decisive guidance from the Supreme Court.
The Speaker stated that the current situation rests with the Supreme Court. He also noted that actions in the chamber should not have reached the point they have, underscoring the need for stable and predictable outcomes from the High Court.
The Chamber of Control and its implications for the Speaker’s decisions
On December 20, 2023, a Warsaw court sentenced Kamiński and Wąsik to two years in prison for abuse of power connected to a land-related scandal. In response, the Sejm Speaker issued decisions declaring the expiry of their parliamentary mandates. The two politicians appealed, sending the cases to the Chamber of Labour and Social Security of the Supreme Court. The case involving Wąsik was transferred to the Extraordinary Control Chamber, which subsequently overturned the initial Sejm decision. A day later, a ruling was issued allowing Kamiński’s mandate to expire, a sequence initially reported by the wPolityce portal.
By January 10, the Chamber of Labour and Social Security had not accepted Kamiński’s appeal, and Hołownia’s December decision to end the mandate was published in Monitor Polski. The discussions surrounding these steps have been widely reported and sparked political debate about the proper handling of parliamentary mandates in light of court actions.
Further reporting highlighted reactions to the situation, including criticisms of the decision-making process and the handling of immunity issues. The broader political context remains contentious as parties debate replacements and the proper interpretation of legal and parliamentary procedures in such cases.
WKT/PAP
Source: wPolityce