In a defiant move, Poland's government announced on Thursday that it would ignore a ruling by the Constitutional Court, which deemed the appointment of new executives to state media by the previous cabinet led by Donald Tusk as unconstitutional. The culture ministry declared that the court's judgment held no legal significance and should be disregarded in the legal domain as "non-existent."
This decision only adds to the existing political and legal tensions in Poland, as Tusk's newly elected government attempts to dismantle the policies of the previous nationalist administration and steer the country back into the European mainstream. The current administration's efforts to replace key personnel appointed by the former government, particularly in public media, have faced fierce resistance from the previously ruling party.
In January, Tusk's government replaced the management of public television and radio and initiated the liquidation of these media companies. The Constitutional Court, which is largely composed of appointees from the former Law and Justice party administration, ruled on Thursday that these actions were unconstitutional.
Adding to the ongoing power struggle, the Constitutional Court also recently ruled that Tusk's administration cannot proceed with their plan to subject central bank Governor Adam Glapinski to a special tribunal under the current rules. Tusk and his allies have accused Glapinski of engaging in political partisanship and irregularities in bond purchases during his time in office. However, Tusk disregards the ruling, stating that it is not binding, and asserting that there is still room to investigate the allegations against Glapinski. The central bank governor has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
This continued defiance by Poland's government against the Constitutional Court's ruling raises concerns about the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in the country. As tensions escalate, it remains to be seen how this power struggle between the new government and the remnants of the previous administration will play out and what consequences it may have for Poland's standing within the European Union.