“Taking the oath in a manner other than that provided for by law—namely, not before the president, that is, not in his presence—constitutes a violation of the law,” explained Prof. Ryszard Piotrowski, a constitutional law expert, in an interview with Gazeta Polska Codziennie. He was commenting on the planned happening in the Sejm.
Four individuals elected in March to the Constitutional Tribunal—Krystian Markiewicz, Maciej Taborowski, Marcin Dziurda, and Anna Korwin-Piotrowska—have sent letters to President Karol Nawrocki inviting him to the Sejm at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday in order to take their oaths before him there. Speaker of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty has admitted he will share responsibility for this.
“In my view, an oath taken before the Speaker of the Sejm would be invalid,” said left-wing politician Piotr Kusznieruk. “This is an obvious continuation of sabotage and a creeping coup against the state system being carried out by the December 13 coalition,” added Zbigniew Ziobro in an interview with TV Republika.
Prof. Piotrowski for ‘GPC’: This Constitutes a Violation of the Law
The plans for an “alternative oath” in the Sejm, instead of before the president, were specifically addressed by Prof. Ryszard Piotrowski for Gazeta Polska Codziennie. He has no doubt about how Thursday’s happening by the Constitutional Tribunal nominees should be assessed:
“So far, these four individuals have not taken the oath in accordance with statutory requirements. Taking the oath in a manner other than that provided for by law—namely, not before the president, that is, not in his presence—constitutes a violation of the law, as confirmed both by established practice and by the Constitutional Tribunal’s judgment in case K 34/15.”
“The consequence of violating the law—whether by failing to appear promptly before the Constitutional Tribunal after taking the oath or by taking the oath in a manner other than before the president—may be disciplinary liability before the Tribunal, which could ultimately lead to removal from office,” Prof. Piotrowski added.