Claudia CiobanuWarsawBIRNJune 2, 202314:55Responding to widespread criticism of the law that it could be misused by the ruling party to bar opposition candidates from standing in this year’s general election, Duda said he would propose substantial changes to the legislation.
Polish President Andrzej Duda (L) speaks during the Central Celebrations of the Border Guard Day at the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland, 15 May 2023. EPA-EFE/Lukasz Gagulski
Just three days after signing into law the creation of an extrajudicial commission to investigate Russian influence in Poland, President Andrzej Duda on Friday said he would propose to parliament some substantial changes to the legislation.
In a statement, Duda said he was responding to criticism to the law from opinion-makers and opposition politicians. “Appalled by these allegations, I have prepared an amendment to the law, a series of provisions that regulate or amend the issues in this law which aroused the greatest controversies,” the president said.
However, it is more likely that Duda’s sudden change of heart was prompted by the opinions of the US government and the European Commission, both of which criticised the new law for potentially blocking critics of PiS from holding public office without due process.
It was only on Monday that Duda signed into law the creation of a new commission to “investigate Russian influence on the internal security of the Republic of Poland in the years 2007-2022”. Under the law, those politicians found to have “acted to the detriment of the Republic under Russian influence” could be banned from holding public office and denied security clearance for a period of up to 10 years.
Following Duda’s signature, the law was published in the official gazette on Tuesday.
Yet criticism of the law over its potential misuse was swift, especially given that since PiS came to power in 2015, it has passed several laws that have had the effect of silencing critics, including in the media and judicial sectors.
Duda, who does have a reputation for being easy to influence, said his new version of the law would include amendments related to three aspects: to ensure that members of the commission do not include MPs; to create the possibility for those found guilty to appeal in front of a general court; and, perhaps most importantly, to eliminate the provisions stating that the individuals found guilty would be banned from holding public office.
Instead of those remedial measures, Duda said, the commission would only issue a statement “that a person who has been found to be acting under Russian influence does not represent a guarantee of being able to properly perform public duties”.
The law signed by Duda on Monday caused widespread outrage in Poland too, which was expected to boost an opposition march scheduled for Sunday.
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