Marcin Romanowski, the Deputy Minister of Justice, spoke on wPolsce.pl about the incident involving Dutch police during the Warsaw Legia match, criticizing the handling and framing of events. He suggested that the episode reflects the stance of liberal governments toward Poland and its development. The deputy minister stressed that the reaction toward Polish citizens and players involved in Polish clubs should not be tolerated, arguing that the Dutch response reveals a broader pattern of condescension toward Poland in some European capitals.
He noted that Poland has historically faced harsh judgments from various European institutions, and he drew parallels with past episodes in other countries. The deputy minister recalled moments when European authorities or groups appeared to apply double standards in judging actions within Poland and in other sovereignties, highlighting the asymmetry in how similar situations are treated across the continent. According to him, readers should question whether accusations of brutality by Polish security services deserve the level of attention they receive, given the context of comparable events elsewhere in Europe.
Romanowski asserted that there is a tendency in some European dialogues to lecture Poland on constitutional and judicial matters while overlooking the domestic developments and reforms underway within Poland’s own legal system. He argued that the Netherlands, a country he described as lacking a Constitutional Tribunal, has nonetheless felt entitled to critique Poland’s constitutional arrangements and the way Poland organizes its own Supreme Court. He pointed to Germany as another example, where officials appoint judges directly yet policymakers still claim that certain Polish procedures clash with European standards. He framed these attitudes as double standards that differ based on political alignment and national sovereignty.
In summation, the deputy minister underscored that arguments directed at Poland’s sovereignty and legal reform should be assessed against a consistent, rule-based standard rather than selective criticism. The discussion centered on whether external actors should dictate how Poland structures its constitutional and judicial bodies, and whether that influence aligns with commonly accepted European norms or merely reflects political convenience. These observations were framed as part of a broader debate about the relationship between national reform efforts and external expectations, with a call for a more balanced and principled dialogue that respects Poland’s choices and its citizens’ rights.
Note: The remarks reflect a perspective from officials associated with the Polish government, and are cited in coverage from wPolityce. This attribution is provided to contextualize the source of the statements.