Former Minister of Defense: the President is already in conflict with Kaczyński, and has little to lose

On Monday, President Andrzej Duda announced he would veto the new law on the Supreme Court and amendments to the act on the National Council of the Judiciary. He announced he would submit his own drafts of these acts within two months.

Protests against the changes in the judiciary were staged in various cities in Poland and abroad.

Former Minister of National Defense Tomasz Siemoniak (PO) discussed these events during an interview with “Fakty po Faktach”.

“We have received a gift from thousands of Poles, who took to the streets and protested night after night,” he said.

In his view, “what President Andrzej Duda did was a fitting punch line to what had been happening for many days. This part of the political season ends with some optimism. On the one hand, thousands of protesting Poles, and on the other, the President who finally does his job, as well as the intensifying conflict within the ruling camp,” enumerated Siemoniak. “Thirdly, the increasingly unified opposition. This is significant, positive potential for the autumn,” he said.

“However, it is hard to forget the past year and a half, and the President's passivity as head of the armed forces,” he added. “I do hope this was not just an episode, but a sign that the President will be independent,” commented the PO politician.

“The President is already in conflict with Jarosław Kaczyński, and has little to lose. And much to gain: credibility and reputation among Poles of an independent President. It is invaluable,” said Tomasz Siemoniak.

Referring to the announcement made by Andrzej Duda that he would prepare his own bills on the judiciary branch, Siemoniak noted that if the President were to present drafts similar to those pushed by PiS, Poles would not allow it. “This is a great lesson for everyone, but most of all a yellow card for the ruling camp. They cannot do just anything, they cannot do what they want. Fortunately, the President drew his own conclusions from this,” said the Civic Platform politician.

“The President must also look in the mirror of history and consider what people will say about him in 5, 10, 20 years [...]. I think Monday was such a Rubicon for him. Nothing will be the same, despite some discomfort, because it must be difficult to distance oneself from one's group. At least he knows that he is finally a free man and can do much good for the country,” commented former Minister of National Defense.

According to Siemoniak, “if Andrzej Duda had signed these laws, the following days would bring even larger demonstrations, and even stronger emotions.

He would have reduced his chance for reelection to zero,” he added. “Poles would have seen his subservience to PiS, and he would have become superfluous,” he commented.

The PO politician said the President “created a chance for himself to win in three years. Though much remains uncertain. First and foremost, we do not know what he will really do, what bills he will submit, how he will behave,” he enumerated.

On Monday, a new issue of the weekly “Sieci” will appear, in which Zbigniew Ziobro explains his reaction to the President's veto.

“In this context, the key question is [...]: either the President will go down in history – this is no exaggeration – as a great figure, as one of the leaders of the good change, as a man who contributed to building a strong and fair state in Poland, or else we have lost; and the first to lose will be the President,” said Ziobro.

Tomasz Siemoniak sees this “as the sign of an imminent attack on the President.”

“Zbigniew Ziobro sees himself as the one who discovered Andrzej Duda, who was his deputy in the ministry. A huge row is starting in the PiS family,” said the PO politician.

“The attack is led by Zbigniew Ziobro himself. Someone must emerge from this encounter badly bruised. I believe it will be Zbigniew Ziobro,” he added.

Źródło: tvn24.pl/tłumaczenie Intertext.com.pl