The case of two opposition MPs sentenced to prison and arrested reveals the deep fractures in the country.
Last month, two deputies from PiS, the conservative national party which went into opposition last October, were sentenced to prison for abuse of power. The facts occurred at the time when they were coordinating the activities of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wasik made their conviction by the courts a political act and consider themselves victims of the new liberal and pro-European coalition. On Tuesday, when they were to be arrested, they found refuge in the presidential palace, at the invitation of conservative President Andrzej Duda. At the time of his arrival, Mariusz Kaminski gave a political dimension to their presence: “there is a very serious crisis in the Stateexplained the national-conservative deputy. Anarchy in the courts, open rebellion in the Supreme Court… We will be at the demonstration on January 11, alongside decent and normal Poles who are worried about what Donald Tusk’s government is doing.“
Poland fractured into two camps?
Their arrest finally took place, a few hours later, but amid great confusion! Legal experts and the country are divided on whether the two deputies have presidential immunity.
For the ruling coalition, the representatives of the conservative party are simply fleeing their criminal responsibility and are not surprised by this speech: “We expected that the party that lost these elections would nevertheless try all kinds of tricks to give the impression that it still has influence over what is happeningbelieves Agnieszka Pomaska, elected MP within the Civic Platform. All this is happening outside the legal framework – they are simply abusing power, they are abusing their position to the detriment of the Polish state.”
The national conservative party has largely weakened the judiciary during its last years in power. Warsaw was even condemned by Brussels for undermining the rule of law.
A hectic arrest
After the arrest of its deputies, PiS supporters protested and denounced a “dictatorship“.
Activists also came to protest in front of the police station where the deputies were taken… then the politicians got involved! Some elected officials even tried to enter the police station, without success. The same thing then happened in front of the prison.
The country seems deeply divided between PiS supporters who promise to continue their fight for a Poland that upholds their values, and the liberal, pro-European coalition in power, which promises exactly the same thing. With different values.