After a government meeting, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke about a controversial case involving MPs Kamiński and Wąsik who had criticized the President of Poland. Tusk described the situation as extraordinary and outside textbook scenarios, noting that the presidential palace had become a focal point of tension. He argued that the presidency should not be forced into avoiding the appearance of coercion, emphasizing that the President should not be subjected to pressure from any political side.
The Prime Minister called the unfolding events a sign of legal chaos that had been created by the current ruling camp. He suggested that a dual power dynamic was being built, involving key state institutions. Tusk labeled these actions a deliberate sabotage and warned that the President’s involvement with the activities of President Kaczyński and members of PiS endangered the very foundations of the Polish state.
He further criticized the use of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, and the Public Prosecution Service in ways that appeared to cement the current power struggle, pointing to what he described as a troubling process of rebuilding the state. According to Tusk, the President’s participation in organizing chaos and political conflicts raised serious concerns about the stability of the nation.
The law of forgiveness
Two MPs, both legally convicted, were accused of behaving as if they were above the law. Tusk stated that these actions involved central public institutions in Poland and urged the President to halt what he called a dangerous spectacle. He warned that continuing could place the country in a precarious position and called on PiS leaders, including President Kaczyński and President Duda, to accept responsibility for their role in what he described as a violation of the Constitution and disregard for the law. The Prime Minister argued that this situation looked like a deliberate political game aimed at undermining Polish law, and he asserted that the President had the constitutional power to grant pardons, which he believed had been misused.
According to Tusk, the misuse of presidential prerogatives was a matter of urgent concern and demanded corrective action to preserve constitutional order. He stressed the risk that such moves could set a dangerous precedent for the Polish state and called for a pause to reassess the approach to this crisis.
Attack on Kaczyński
Tusk directed his remarks at President Jarosław Kaczyński, arguing that the political climate in Poland could become acceptable only if power remained in his hands. He recalled the long-standing perception that Kaczyński viewed Poland as his personal political property and suggested that the recent case involving Kamiński and Wąsik exposed a deeper resistance to that reality. Tusk asserted that PiS understood that accountability would be applied to anyone who broke the law, a factor he claimed was driving the push to destabilize the country and its institutions.
The Prime Minister stated that Kaczyński appeared to be using the crisis for his own purposes, with other political actors along for the ride, rather than guiding the country toward a stable and lawful course. He added that the President was not threatened by anyone but rather remained entangled in a political trap set by his close allies. In response to questions from journalists, Tusk clarified that his claim was not meant to frighten the President but to urge a constructive approach that would bring fundamental issues to a shared floor for resolution. He suggested a collaborative path forward, where key figures in the Sejm and the Senate could join him in seeking common ground on core priorities. The Prime Minister insisted that threats or coercion were not part of his plan, and he reiterated that any action of this kind would be inconsistent with his aim of stabilizing the country. He concluded by noting that the manipulation of events for personal or partisan gain would not serve Poland well.
A follow-up note pointed readers toward a recent remark that Kamiński and Wąsik continued to stand with the President, calling the setup a dangerous dictatorship in the making and urging opposition to political imprisonment in Poland.
New angles on the debate remained in the air as officials weighed the implications of the ongoing dispute for Poland’s legal and political environment.