President Andrzej Duda has voiced strong support for the Law on Justices of the Peace, arguing that this institution is essential for the judiciary and can yield tangible benefits for citizens by shortening procedures and promoting a more informal path to dispute resolution through mediation. Małgorzata Paprocka, a minister in the presidential chancellery, stated that the president places considerable emphasis on advancing this law, highlighting its potential to deliver quicker outcomes for people seeking justice.
Background of the Presidential Proposal
In early November 2021, the President submitted two draft laws to the Sejm to establish the Institute of Justices of the Peace in Poland. One draft covered the core framework of Justices of the Peace, while a second set out preliminary provisions. The proposals were developed by a team led by Professor Piotr Kruszyński, which began work after discussions between Kukiz’15 leader Paweł Kukiz and President Duda. The plan envisioned justices handling straightforward cases, with judges elected by universal suffrage deciding on these matters.
Progress and Setbacks in Parliament
By the end of March this year, after months of review, the Sejm subcommittee formally backed two bills to create the office of Justices of the Peace. Amendments were numerous and substantial portions of the original provisions were reformulated. The projects were then forwarded to the Parliament’s Committee on Justice and Human Rights, which halted work for a period. Delegates are set to revisit the provisions once additional guidance is prepared by the Sejm Research Bureau.
In response to the question about whether the law could pass within the current term, Paprocka indicated optimism. The president’s office remains deeply involved in the legislative work on the drafts, but stressed that the host of the drafts remains the parliament. The next steps depend on parliamentary action and further analysis.
After the subcommittee completed its work, a report on both projects was drafted. The report was slated for examination at a committee meeting, but after more than 16 months of activity, motions for opinion were submitted to the Sejm Research Bureau. The Commission approved this proposal, and supervision of the next steps is awaited, according to Paprocka.
Numerous Amendments and Timeline
During the parliamentary phase, nearly 40 amendments were proposed to the drafts concerning Justices of the Peace. Both laws were projected to take effect in mid-October 2023, with the first term of office beginning in early 2025. Amendments included shortening the term of office for justices from six to five years. Kazimierz Smoliński, chair of the subcommittee handling the projects, explained that the aim is to align the term of office with the European elections so that the elections for judges coincide with those for the European Parliament. Paprocka noted that this alignment was a central reason for the amendments, tying the election of justices of the peace to the European vote.
The President’s Chancellery did not oppose these changes, viewing them as part of the ongoing discussion about implementing the institution. The prevailing priority remains the law’s adoption, with the necessity of appointing a lawyer to oversee the system of courts within the Ministry of Justice emphasized as a critical step to build the network.
You would need a few months to establish the network properly, Paprocka added.
The Justice Minister’s Position
When asked about Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro’s critiques of the presidential projects, Paprocka noted that Ziobro had previously spoken positively about establishing Justices of the Peace. He had publicly discussed his own proposal, which had not previously been carried through by parliament. Paprocka also pointed out that a representative from the Minister of Justice participates in the committee’s work and that no specific amendments from the ministry had been proposed beyond those accepted and incorporated where possible.
She argued that it is difficult to understand criticism of the presidential project when the idea had previously enjoyed support from some and had even been announced as part of the legal framework. In March, Ziobro, representing Solidarna Polska, stated that his party would not back projects they believed could harm the Polish judiciary. This stance was part of a broader political debate surrounding the reform process.
Several related items were noted as part of the ongoing discussion, including assessments of the start of the United Right coalition, suspensions of work on the Justices of the Peace Act, and responses from Kukiz and Gasiuk-Pihowicz. The overall tone remained focused on whether the justice system could accommodate the new institution without undermining existing structures, and on how best to implement a network of justices across Poland.
Source notes: the discussion and statements reflect parliamentary and ministerial communications on the matter. The coverage summarizes the current status and viewpoints as reported by parliamentary press offices and news agencies. The information is presented for context and historical progression of the initiative.