Polish Police arrest former MPs in presidential palace in Warsaw for flouting court's ruling

The Polish police have, during an official ceremony at the presidential palace in Warsaw, arrested the former interior minister and his deputy, who were actually being sworn in to the office of President advisers on Wednesday.Polish Police arrest former MPs

The former interior minister, Mariusz Kaminski, and his deputy, Maciej Wasik were charged for abuse of power and sentenced to two years in prison last month.

Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wasik occupied the Polish Anti-corruption office until they were found guilty of power abuse in 2007 by a Warsaw court.

In response to the arrest of the Minister and his deputy, the new interior minister Marcin Kierwinski reacted “Everyone is equal before the law” on his X handle on Wednesday. Polish Police arrest former MPs

This marks the peak of Polish political struggle, the right-wing populist and national-conservative political party, and the new pro-Europeanism ideology.

Speaking on the Television on Wednesday, the Polish President, Andrzej Duda who had pardoned the MPs in 2015, said the court’s decision was invalid and he doesn’t recognize it regarding his initial pardon for the same charges brought by the court against the two Ministers. Polish Police arrest former bMPs

The two MPs have been stripped of their parliamentary mandates, but both they and President Duda insist they remain legally elected MPs because of the pardon, reported BBC today.

Mr Duda hosted a swear-in ceremony of the two PMs as presidential advisers at the presidential palace on Tuesday despite the court’s warrant to police for their arrest on Monday.

Following the arrest, Kaminski told reporters “a grim dictatorship is being created” and they are “facing some political drama” which, of course, may result in “state crisis”

“We are dealing with a very serious state crisis. A grim dictatorship is being created,” he said. Polish police arrest former Mps

According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, it’s all about the law and it must be upheld no matter the situation or place where the Pms happened to be at the time of arrest and there is no “rulebook”.

“There is no rulebook for the prime minister or interior minister on how to act when convicts are in the Presidential Palace. This is clearly taking advantage of a situation in which no one will use force against such an institution as the president,” said Pm Donald.

While the Polish Supreme Court had earlier last year rendered Mr Duda’s 2015 pardon inapplicable, the president still argues it remains binding and valid.

However, to make the case even more complicated, according to sources, the Constitutional Tribunal and a new Supreme Court chamber, both of which serve under judges appointed by PiS, decisions are in favour of president Duda. Polish police arrest former Mps

Mr Mateusz Morawiecki, a former PiS minister, said that “the rule of law” stands a chance of compromise and the government shows no concern.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented attack on the rule of law. Tusk’s government decided it could take over public television and media by force. This has nothing to do with democratic standards. We have not seen such brutal government action since communism. It is all the more outrageous that this is done by people who have such slogans of democracy on their lips,” said Mateusz.