After release from prison
Poland’s President receives pardoned PiS politicians
Released from prison: Former Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski is received by his wife and his supporters. photo
© Piotr Polak/PAP/dpa
“The case of Messrs. Kaminski and Wasik is not over, it has only begun,” announced Polish Prime Minister Tusk after the release of two politicians – while the President warmly welcomed both.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced further prosecution of politicians convicted of abuse of office. “The case of Messrs. Kaminski and Wasik is not over, it has just begun.” What the two have done over the past eight years also still needs to be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement authorities.
In recent weeks, the dispute over the PiS MPs has become a central point in the dispute between the center-left government of Donald Tusk and the PiS with its ally Duda. The two politicians were arrested on January 9th and taken to prison after initially seeking protection in the presidential palace.
Kaminski and Wasik were sentenced to two years in prison in an appeal by a Warsaw district court in December for abuse of office in a previous position. Duda pardoned the two after an initial trial in 2015. However, the Supreme Court declared this pardon to be unlawful because the appeal process was still ongoing at the time. Duda emphasized again on Tuesday that, in his view, the pardon from 2015 was still valid. Nevertheless, he pardoned her a second time.
The conflict over Kaminski and Wasik could escalate again at the parliamentary session planned for Thursday. According to the court ruling, both are not allowed to hold public office for five years and have therefore lost their parliamentary mandates. However, you do not acknowledge this and want to appear at the meeting.