Polish Political Debate on a New Oversight Committee
On a televised program, Jarosław Krajewski of the PiS party described the president’s recent decision as a historic chance to cleanse the Polish political scene. He spoke in connection with the signing of a law establishing a Committee on Russian Influence and discussed the matter with Bożena Żelazowska of PSL. Żelazowska stressed that creating the committee would not frighten opposition politicians.
She asserted that the opposition has nothing to fear because they have nothing to hide. She questioned why Jarosław Kaczyński would oppose appointing such a committee before the elections, suggesting that if he were unconcerned, a different approach—perhaps pursuing investigations through prosecutors and courts—would suffice after eight years of PiS leadership.
The program noted that the conflict with Russia began in 2014 and that PiS has governed since 2015, marking eight years in power. Żelazowska argued that the current commission is intended to replace the Polish courts in some regard and that its establishment represents a critical moment for transparency in state affairs.
Jarosław Krajewski of PiS described the committee as a historic opportunity to shed light on decisions influenced by Russian interests, including issues related to energy security and Poland’s independence on the international stage. He expressed hope that the commission’s composition would enable a thorough and substantive examination of all aspects of Russian influence on Poland’s security.
He also claimed that the opposition, especially Donald Tusk and the Civic Platform, fears the truth coming out and that they worry they cannot explain talks with Vladimir Putin or decisions that may have tied Poland to Russian gas. Żelazowska echoed concerns that the opposition deputies fear the committee’s work, framing it as a defensive panic that underscores a public right to information.
Żelazowska argued that the law creating the committee might be unconstitutional on several counts and suggested that the sitting prime minister should appear before the committee. She added that the prime minister has reason to worry about the proceedings.
In a subsequent exchange, Krajewski framed the committee as non-threatening to the government, insisting that voters supported its creation to promote transparency in public life. He recalled that PSL helped establish a government described as pro-Russian in the period 2007-2015 and implied that the opposition parties, including PO, should not fear scrutiny from the committee that aims to uncover the truth about Russian influence. He argued that the Constitutional Tribunal must decide on constitutional compliance rather than the views of opposition MPs. If the opposition is not afraid of the truth, he suggested, they should nominate candidates and engage seriously with the inquiry.
The piece closes with a reminder that questions about Russian influence in Poland remain a live topic, with ongoing debates about national sovereignty and security. (Source: wPolityce)