The Marshal of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia, issued powers of attorney for 2025 to the members of the delegation expected to participate in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He did not grant a similar authorization to PiS member Marcin Romanowski, according to a statement from the Sejm Chancellery. Romanowski had been reported to the Sejm by PiS lawmakers. Jarosław Kaczyński said there should be no obstacle in sending Romanowski to the Council of Europe.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński commented that there is no reason not to send Romanowski to the Council of Europe, and he added that the party does not intend to nominate another candidate.
The chamber’s announcement clarified that Hołownia signed the 2025 powers for the Sejm and Senate delegation to take part in PACE proceedings.
Composition of the Polish delegation
The Sejm Chancellery announced the makeup of the Sejm portion of the delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Permanent representatives include Paweł Jabłoński of the Law and Justice party, Danuta Jazłowiecka of Civic Coalition, Daniel Milewski of Law and Justice, Wanda Nowicka representing the Left, Mirosław Adam Orliński of the Polish People’s Party, Ryszard Petru of Poland 2050, Agnieszka Pomaska of Civic Coalition, Katarzyna Sójka of Law and Justice, and Krzysztof Truskolaski of Civic Coalition.
The deputies accompanying the permanent representatives are MPs Iwona Arent of Law and Justice, Krzysztof Bosak of Confederation, Konrad Frysztak and Patryk Jaskulski of Civic Coalition, Jan Kanthak of Law and Justice, Michał Krawczyk of Civic Coalition, Aleksandra Leo representing Poland 2050, and Kacper Płażyński of Law and Justice.
The Sejm Chancellery noted one seat remains vacant for a member from the Law and Justice side and added that the Marshal did not grant Romanowski the full power to operate within the PACE.
A Civic Coalition deputy, who also serves as vice president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, announced on the X platform that a meeting of the Polish delegation to the Council of Europe would take place on January 23.
The Law and Justice club renewed its nomination of Romanowski for the PACE. He is the same member whose immunity was removed by the European Council and who was reported to have left for Budapest while a European arrest warrant was outstanding. Critics asked why the party would pursue the same candidate again.
Kaczyński interrupts the discussion
In a press conference, Kaczyński defended Romanowski’s stay in Hungary as being justified under Polish and international law. He argued there are no guarantees of an impartial trial in the current Polish system and suggested that this view is echoed by many officials.
For this reason he indicated there should be no hesitation in sending a Member of Parliament to the Council of Europe.
When asked whether PiS plans to nominate anyone else to the Council of Europe, Kaczyński replied that there would be no other candidates and that the Marshal’s authority does not hinge on a single personal decision.
Under the Rules of Procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the powers of national delegations are ratified by the Assembly at plenary sessions. The terms of office for the representatives and their alternates begin upon ratification and end with the opening of the next annual ordinary session.