“I don’t know why there’s so much fuss about Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek’s actions. This is just a warm-up,” wrote Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X. Earlier, the new head of the Ministry of Justice had announced the suspension of 45 court presidents and vice-presidents. President of the Constitutional Tribunal, Bogdan Święczkowski, described the move as revenge and pettiness, while PiS Vice-President Zbigniew Ziobro stated he would be filing a complaint with the prosecutor’s office.
Żurek’s Vendetta
During a Thursday press conference, Żurek announced that he had recalled 9 judges from delegation to the Ministry of Justice who had signed letters to the so-called “neoKRS” or were considered “neo-judges.” For the same reasons, 46 court presidents and vice-presidents were suspended. According to the minister, these individuals will be removed from their positions. Among those suspended is Małgorzata Hencel-Święczkowska, wife of the President of the Constitutional Tribunal. Żurek assured that the decision to suspend Hencel-Święczkowska on Wednesday was not an act of harassment and that he does not know her personally.
Prime Minister Tusk commented on Minister Żurek’s actions via X:
“I don’t know why there’s so much fuss about Minister Żurek’s actions. This is just a warm-up,” wrote Tusk.
The actions of Minister Żurek were also commented on by, among others, the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, Bogdan Święczkowski, and former Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro. On Wednesday, the President of the Constitutional Tribunal issued a statement saying that the decision to suspend his wife from her role as court president and initiate dismissal proceedings three months before the end of her final term was “personal in nature and a manifestation of revenge.” He stated that Minister Żurek, “acting out of pettiness, is exacting revenge for the Tribunal’s past activity by targeting his family.”
On Thursday, during a press conference, Ziobro said that in his view, by deciding to suspend court presidents and vice-presidents, Żurek had already committed “certain crimes.” “In connection with these, we will file a notification with the prosecutor’s office,” he declared.