Polish opposition Law and Justice calls supporters to the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw

Opposition calls for protest outside the Constitutional Tribunal

The Kraków district organization of the Polish opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) has called on its supporters to gather outside the building of the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw, accusing the authorities of attempting to remove the body's leadership. The appeal, titled “In Defense of the Constitutional Tribunal,” was published by district organization No. 13, the Anadolu agency reported.

Accusations and reaction

The appeal states that the attempt to remove the tribunal's leadership, accompanied by a police presence on its premises, raises concerns about the functioning of state institutions and compliance with legal procedures. “In our assessment, these actions may bear the hallmarks of an attempted coup d'état and require urgent review by the relevant state bodies,” Anadolu quoted the statement as saying. The party also cited First President of the Supreme Court Zbigniew Kapiński, who, according to it, firmly condemned what was happening and warned that allowing the arbitrary seizure of one institution could open the way for similar actions against others.

Context of the dispute

PiS asked those able to reach Warsaw to gather at the tribunal's headquarters, and urged supporters to help organize transport and to spread the appeal. “Today let us demonstrate this strength through our collective, peaceful presence,” the appeal says. It came amid a dispute over control of the Constitutional Tribunal, in which the government and the opposition accuse each other of undermining the rule of law. The appeal comes from a district organization of the party rather than from its central leadership; the publication does not report any reaction from the authorities or an announced date for the action.