Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Warchoł said that the Marshal of the Senate, Tomasz Grodzki, did not have the right to invite the Venice Commission to Poland. The Venice Commission delegation visited Poland at the end of last week as part of its continuing monitoring of the status of the rule of law in Poland. The Commission is expected to present its opinion on the draft act on common court reform, which is currently before the Senate, on Wednesday.
”The statute of the Venice Commission, international law, and our Constitution, clearly define who is in charge of inviting the Venice Commission to Poland and who isn’t. It also defines at whose request the Commission may give its opinion. These are the bodies that are in charge of it: the state, international organization, the Council of Europe through its bodies, the General Secretary, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, among others. The Marshal of the Senate does not have such power. There is no information anywhere about the Marshal of the Senate having the authorization to do that, which is why the visit was not official and formal, therefore the effects of the visit will not be recognized”- says Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Warchoł .