Will an unconditional prison sentence prevent Stanisław Gawłowski from holding his seat in the Senate? Not at all. Senate Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska sees no issue. “As long as the verdict is not final, he should carry out the duties entrusted to him by the voters,” she believes.
The District Court in Szczecin sentenced Senator Stanisław Gawłowski to five years in prison in the so-called irrigation scandal trial. He was found guilty, among other things, of accepting bribes. The court also imposed a fine of PLN 180,000 and banned him from holding managerial positions in state institutions and companies for ten years. Gawłowski has announced he will appeal the verdict.
“The sentence is not final. We are waiting to see what happens next,” the Senate Marshal told journalists. She emphasized that until a final verdict is reached, Senator Stanisław Gawłowski should carry out the duties entrusted to him by the voters.
“This is a difficult situation, and it’s the first time the Senate has faced such a case,” she added. She noted that she would not comment on the court’s ruling. When asked whether Senator Gawłowski would be suspended from his rights as a member of the Civic Coalition (KO) caucus, she replied: “The caucus will discuss it, but let me remind you: the verdict is not final.”
Tomasz Grodzki, chairman of the KO Senate group, expressed a similar view. “Let’s wait for a final verdict. Then we will make a decision,” said the former Senate Marshal.
Gawłowski, who has repeatedly given public consent to the use of his name and image, faced seven charges, including five related to corruption. He was found guilty of corruption and of plagiarizing his doctoral dissertation.
Throughout the investigation and trial, Stanisław Gawłowski denied all charges. He insisted that he was being prosecuted “for purely political reasons.” The verdict was delivered by Judge Grzegorz Kasicki of the District Court in Szczecin, known for his tough stance on the former ruling party and for repeatedly participating in protests against the government.