Warsaw police deployed to the Constitutional Tribunal building late Friday as a bitter institutional dispute erupted over the control of Poland’s highest court. The confrontation outside the Tribunal headquarters unfolded as a splinter group of judges announced the suspension of court president Bogdan Święczkowski and vice-president Bartłomiej Sochański, plunging the nation into a severe political crisis.
The escalation prompted Karol Nawrocki to abruptly cut short his official visit to Senegal and return to the country around 10 p.m., stating on social media V takové chvíli musí být prezident v Polsku.
Přerušuji svůj let do Senegalu.
Donald Tusk defended the actions on the platform X as a necessary measure, writing Obnovení právního státu je naším povinností.
Po letech bezpráví pod vedením strany PiS (Právo a spravedlnost, pozn. red.) je to náročný proces, který je někdy bolestivý a vyžaduje rozhodné kroky.
Jiná cesta neexistuje,
according to Echo24.
Suspension of Court Leaders and Police Intervention
The institutional showdown began when a faction of judges, led by recently appointed Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, declared the suspension of Święczkowski and Sochański, transferring their duties to Korwin-Piotrowska. In response, the Constitutional Tribunal issued a statement on social media labeling the move a státní převrat,
maintaining that Święczkowski remains president and Sochański remains vice-president, and warning that those involved are committing a criminal offense of a coup d’état.
W takim momencie Prezydent musi być w Polsce. Przerywam lot do Senegalu. Wracam 🇵🇱
As crowds of demonstrators gathered outside the Warsaw headquarters, police entered the court’s grounds. Law enforcement officials stated that officers stepped in to restore order after protesters allegedly threw dangerous objects at uniformed personnel. Opposition figures from the Law and Justice (PiS) party fiercely condemned the operation, with MP Zbigniew Ziobro denouncing it as do očí bijící, zločinný útok na ústavní řád.
Court spokesperson Weronika Ścibiorová similarly characterized the police action as an útok na ústavní orgán státu.
Longstanding Judicial Deadlock and Political Fallout
The Friday night crisis follows months of friction regarding the legitimacy of judges and appointments within the judiciary. The paralysis at the Tribunal was deepened earlier this year when President Nawrocki refused to swear in three of the six judges nominated by the parliamentary majority, while Święczkowski subsequently blocked parliament-chosen judges from assuming their official duties.
Following the latest developments and the police deployment at the court, the fallout widened across diplomatic and political ranks. Upon his return to Warsaw, President Nawrocki planned consultations with Bogdan Święczkowski and the First President of the Supreme Court, Zbigniew Kapiński, who had previously described the unfolding situation as a státní převrat
to Echo24.
