Statements made by the former president of the Constitutional Tribunal, Prof. Andrzej Zoll, have sparked widespread criticism. Attorney Bartosz Lewandowski expressed disbelief on social media, questioning how one could discuss constitutional changes made by parliamentary resolutions and then lecture law students about the separation of powers in Poland. Lewandowski also argued that Zoll’s support for Adam Bodnar’s actions in the prosecutor’s office is utterly unfounded.
In an interview published today by “Wprost,” Prof. Andrzej Zoll, the former president of the Constitutional Tribunal, controversially stated that the government led by Donald Tusk cannot restore the rule of law through legislative means. He also expressed satisfaction with Adam Bodnar’s reforms in the prosecutor’s office, dismissing opponents of these changes as insignificant. According to Zoll, the dissent comes mainly from individuals appointed during Ziobro’s tenure, which he views as inconsequential given that 6,000 prosecutors have reportedly signed an appeal supporting Bodnar’s continuation of reforms.
Zoll’s remarks prompted a response from attorney Bartosz Lewandowski, who found many aspects of the former Tribunal president’s interview with Marcin Makowski both bizarre and shocking. Specifically, Lewandowski criticized Zoll’s claim that state changes are not enacted through legislation.
Lewandowski also challenged Zoll’s comments on Bodnar’s actions, clarifying that it was not “6,000” but 5,649, and not “prosecutors” but anonymous internet users, including questionable names such as “Adolf Hitler” and “Adam Bodnar’s Missing Legal Basis Fan Club,” who supported the justice minister’s appeal against the attempt to remove prosecutor Dariusz Barski from his position. The list of signatures reportedly included names like Vladimir Putin, Koziołek Matołek, and Angela Merkel, according to Niezalezna.pl.
Lewandowski lamented the current crisis in the legal profession’s authority, puzzled over how one could publicly discuss constitutional changes and the principle of the constitutionality presumption of laws, the separation of powers, and the irremovability of judges under the 1997 Constitution, only to contradict these principles moments later in an academic setting.
PiS member of parliament Paweł Jablonski also weighed in on Zoll’s assertions, describing the situation as “unbelievable” and mocking it as a campaign to “search for any legal basis.” Jabłoński further highlighted the issue by sharing a screenshot showcasing several fictitious characters who allegedly signed the appeal supporting Adam Bodnar.