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Ex-Presidents of Poland Lead Attack on Governing Party Ex-Presidents of Poland Issue a Rebuke to Governing Party
(about 3 hours later)
KRAKOW, Poland — The front page of Poland’s leading newspaper featured on Monday an open letter from three former presidents warning that the new right-wing government’s actions were threatening the country’s democracy.KRAKOW, Poland — The front page of Poland’s leading newspaper featured on Monday an open letter from three former presidents warning that the new right-wing government’s actions were threatening the country’s democracy.
Lech Walesa, the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize winner whose Solidarity movement led Poland’s emergence from Communism, was joined by Aleksander Kwasniewski, president from 1995 to 2005, and Bronislaw Komorowski, president from 2010 until last year, in calling on Polish citizens to “defend democracy” in their letter, published by Gazeta Wyborcza. The three former presidents and seven opposition politicians and activists also warned the leaders of the ruling Law and Justice Party that “those guilty of violating the Constitution shall bear responsibility.” Lech Walesa, the 1983 Nobel peace laureate whose Solidarity movement led Poland’s emergence from Communism, was joined by Aleksander Kwasniewski, president from 1995 to 2005, and Bronislaw Komorowski, president from 2010 until last year, in calling on Polish citizens to “defend democracy” in their letter, published by Gazeta Wyborcza. The three former presidents and seven opposition politicians and activists also warned the leaders of the ruling Law and Justice Party that “those guilty of violating the Constitution shall bear responsibility.”
The right-wing Law and Justice party has been embroiled in controversy almost from the moment it took power in October after a decisive win in parliamentary elections that ended eight years of rule by the center-right Civic Platform. Much of the criticism has come over the new government’s moves to weaken Poland’s constitutional court, which have earned rebukes from European leaders as the country is preparing to host the annual summit meeting of leaders from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in July.The right-wing Law and Justice party has been embroiled in controversy almost from the moment it took power in October after a decisive win in parliamentary elections that ended eight years of rule by the center-right Civic Platform. Much of the criticism has come over the new government’s moves to weaken Poland’s constitutional court, which have earned rebukes from European leaders as the country is preparing to host the annual summit meeting of leaders from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in July.
The European Parliament voted this month on a resolution that accused Poland’s government of undermining the country’s democracy, passing the issue along to the European Council for further action.The European Parliament voted this month on a resolution that accused Poland’s government of undermining the country’s democracy, passing the issue along to the European Council for further action.
Since taking power, the Polish government has drawn criticism for a media law passed in January that gave it expanded control over state television and radio, and for proposals from governing-party officials to ban abortions in the country. The open letter warned of additional “draconian” laws that the governing party plans to adopt.Since taking power, the Polish government has drawn criticism for a media law passed in January that gave it expanded control over state television and radio, and for proposals from governing-party officials to ban abortions in the country. The open letter warned of additional “draconian” laws that the governing party plans to adopt.
“Law and Justice plans to continue their actions, which destroy the constitutional order, paralyze the proceedings of the Constitutional Tribunal and the entire judicial system,” the former presidents said in their letter.“Law and Justice plans to continue their actions, which destroy the constitutional order, paralyze the proceedings of the Constitutional Tribunal and the entire judicial system,” the former presidents said in their letter.
The criticism was not surprising. All three former presidents have been opponents of the current government and Law and Justice’s paramount leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a point that supporters of the government noted in dismissing the letter. All three former presidents have been opponents of the current government and Law and Justice’s paramount leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a point the government noted in dismissing the letter.
“It is absurd to claim that democracy in Poland in under threat,” said the deputy prime minister, Piotr Glinski, in an interview on Polish television. Instead, he said, the criticism was just the “private opinion” of a few individuals.“It is absurd to claim that democracy in Poland in under threat,” said the deputy prime minister, Piotr Glinski, in an interview on Polish television. Instead, he said, the criticism was just the “private opinion” of a few individuals.
Prime Minister Beata Szydlo simply pointed to the convincing victory in the October elections, in which Law and Justice won a majority in Parliament, giving it the power to rule without the need to form a coalition with any lesser parties.Prime Minister Beata Szydlo simply pointed to the convincing victory in the October elections, in which Law and Justice won a majority in Parliament, giving it the power to rule without the need to form a coalition with any lesser parties.
The letter was published days after Mr. Walesa called on Poland’s current president, Andrzej Duda, to resign “for the good of the country.”The letter was published days after Mr. Walesa called on Poland’s current president, Andrzej Duda, to resign “for the good of the country.”
Mr. Walesa, who became the first democratically elected president of Poland in 1990, had come under attack by members of the government in February when documents discovered in the home of a former official seemed to indicate that he had acted as a spy for the Communists. Mr. Walesa denied having done so and said all but one of the documents were a “complete forgery.” Mr. Walesahad come under attack by the government in February when discovered documents seemed to indicate that he had acted as a spy for the Communists. Mr. Walesa denied having done so and said all but one of the documents were a “complete forgery.”