2024-04-24 14:07 update: 2024-04-25, 14:58
Fot. PAP/Rafał Guz
Poland's former interior minister and his deputy, who had been convicted of abuse of power but were later pardoned by the president, will run for seats in the European Parliament, the leader of the former ruling party has announced.
This year's European Parliament election is scheduled across member states from June 6-9, 2024. Poles will elect 53 Polish MEPs on June 9.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Law and Justice (PiS), told the press on Wednesday that Mariusz Kaminski, the former interior minister in the previous PiS government, along with his former deputy, Maciej Wasik, will appear on PiS electoral lists.
According to him, Kaminski and Wasik "highly suitable candidates" but their legal situation "certainly" needs to be clarified.
Kaczynski said that "no one should run away to Brussels to avoid responsibility."
On the other hand, Mateusz Morawiecki, the former PiS prime minister, does not intend to run for European Parliament. "I am ruling out my start (in the election - PAP)," he said.
The allegation of escaping consequences relates to a long-running argument over the political status of Kaminski and Wasik.
The two were each sentenced to two years in prison in December 2023 for abuse of power while heading the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau. But in a high-profile case, they were later pardoned by the president and released from custody.
Szymon Holownia, the speaker of the lower house, the Sejm, said the two men could not take back their parliamentary seats as their convictions had nullified their mandates.
They now face charges of illegally taking part in a vote in the Sejm following their sentence.
Additionally, they may hear new charges over the use of the highly-invasive Israeli anti-terrorist software Pegasus against political opponents as the investigation into the wiretapping scandal is being pursued by a special parliamentary commission. (PAP)
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