2023-06-02 13:42:54
The Polish president announced Friday, June 2 an amendment modifying in depth a law creating a commission on Russian influence, strongly criticized by the United States and the European Union.
“It removes a lot of the controversies that arise about him”declared Andrzej Duda a few days only after having signed this text, indicating that his proposal notably removed the provisions making it possible to de facto prohibit people from exercising public functions for 10 years.
Risk of interference in elections
The law signed on Monday provoked strong reactions both in Washington and in Brussels. The European Commission and the United States have said “concerned” by the creation of this commission, the State Department believing that this body could “ be misused to interfere with free and fair elections in Poland » scheduled for the fall.
In Poland, the commission has been described as“unconstitutional” et “Stalinist” by the opposition and many jurists.
The amendment that the president was to table on Friday provides in particular that the initial sanction of a ten-year ban on holding public office be replaced just by a statement by the commission that a person “acts under Russian influence” and that she “does not guarantee the proper performance of activities in the public interest”. While supporting the creation of this commission, the president notably indicated that the nine members of the commission should not be chosen by Parliament.
Compromise political opponents
According to the Polish populist power, such a Commission is essential to eliminate Russian influence in Poland, staunch ally of Ukraine attacked by Moscow. The opposition describes the text as « lex Tusk » (Tusk law) from the name of the leader of the main formation of the centrist opposition Civic Platform (PO), Donald Tusk, former Polish Prime Minister in the years 2007-2014 then President of the European Council, pet peeve of the power in place.
According to her, the law is intended to compromise opponents of the power in place and prevent Donald Tusk from winning the fall election.
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