The government does not intend to cower before the Venice Commission. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: It has lost its authority; it has taken rash, political decisions

The prestige of the Venice Commission (KW) is not great; it does not stay in Poland upon the invitation of the government and it has no positive role to fulfill here

— stressed the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz. In his opinion, the Speaker of the Senate Tomasz Grodzki, when inviting the commission, exceeded his constitutional competences.

Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, justifying the refusal of the government to meet with the KW, stated that the Venice Commission’s advisory role on the rule of law in Poland would now be an interference in our legislative process.

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked on Thursday in TVN24 about the visit of the Venice Commission, which is staying in Poland at the invitation of the Speaker of the Senate Tomasz Grodzki.

The Minister Jacek Czaputowicz admitted that the previous visit of the Venice Commission, in 2016, took place at the invitation of its predecessor Witold Waszczykowski. This time, however, there was no invitation from the government - he stressed.

I believe that the Marshal is exceeding his competences, entering the area reserved for other state authorities, foreign policy, thus raising our deep concern

— said Czaputowicz.

The invitation of the Venice Commission is a form of cooperation with international organizations, which is the responsibility of the executive bodies

— he added.

He sometimes makes attempts (the Speaker of the Senate, an opposition politician) to call, inform, but he takes decisions independently

— said the minister.

Our experience shows that the Venice Commission has lost its credibility a little; it has taken rash, political decisions, e.g. concerning the Constitutional Tribunal, claiming that it is possible to promote judges to this Tribunal

— he emphasized. In addition, the opinions of the Venice Commission were not even used by the European Commission.

The prestige of the Venice Commission is not great

— evaluated the head of the Foreign Ministry.

In turn, Deputy Minister Szynkowski vel Sęk, when asked in Polsat News why the government side does not want to meet with representatives of the Venice Commission during their visit to Poland, said that a delegation of four members of the Venice Commission is visiting Poland at the invitation of the Speaker of the Senate Tomasz Grodzki. As he added, the Venice Commission delegation presented a list of people they would like to meet. KW also presented its expectations concerning the duration of these meetings.

According to the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this list included the Minister of Justice, the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, the Speaker of the Sejm, the Speaker of the Senate, representatives of the parliamentary majority and the opposition, as well as „the entire government”. Szynkowski vel Sęk informed that the KW expected the meeting with the government to last 1.5 hours. During this meeting, the government was supposed to address „questions and doubts” on the part of KW concerning the rule of law in Poland.

This list (of interlocutors required by KW - PAP) was very long and surprisingly high in terms of expectations (KW), given that the request was made a few days in advance

— said Szynkowski vel Sęk.

This is a very unusual procedure

— he added.

Tłum. K.J.