Tensions are rising around the passage of the 2024 budget act. The clock is ticking, even more so Seim Marshal Shimon Holonia postponed the session It is scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week. And all this because of the confusion surrounding the case of Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Vesic. If President Andrzej Duda adopts a method of calculating budget deadlines that is unfavorable to those in power, he may call early elections. This may happen if the budget bill is not signed by January 29.
“Rzeczpospolita” notes that the president has “another ace up his sleeve” because he can send the budget law to the Constitutional Tribunal, which supports PiS and can question the budget for various reasons. – He can assess whether this specific arrangement of state revenues and expenses meets the requirement of the Council of Ministers to act rationally, taking into account the constitutional values, – says Prof. Jacek Zaleśny, constitutionalist from the University of Warsaw.
On the other hand, Prof. Andrzej Jackiewicz from the University of Bialystok believes that the Constitutional Tribunal can assess procedural errors in the adoption of the act. – For example, it is possible to consider possible doubts regarding the status of two MPs and the impact of this situation on the budget adoption procedure – says the expert. However, it finds that procedural defects do not necessarily render an act unconstitutional. However, the constitutionalists interviewed by “RZ” claim that there is no danger of the dissolution of the Seym, even if the budget law is questioned by the tribunal.
Early elections? Lisicki and Ziemkiewicz comment
In the latest episode of “Polska Do Rzeczy”, Pawel Lisicki and Rafal Ziemkiewicz comment on the confusion in the Sejm. Commentators also wondered who benefited from snap elections, if they were actually held. – How can you get rid of this chaos? When two parties are at odds and cannot reach an agreement, early elections are the solution. There are rumors that the President will send the budget law to the Constitutional Tribunal. We are dealing with a situation where we do not have an institution that both sides of the political dispute would recognize – says the editor-in-chief of “Do Rzech”.
– The regulations indicate that the president can dissolve the parliament if he does not send him a bill, which is possible, because the president can consider that the parliament is working lamely, without Maciej Vasik and Mariusz Kaminski, – says Rafal Ziemkiewicz. – We had a few weeks of turmoil caused by Tusk. What PiS has done in these eight years is nothing compared to what is happening now. He closed the television, destroyed other institutions, split the Supreme Court in half, and how this stalemate will end is unclear – he adds.
– For the sake of discussion, let's assume that there will be approval for early parliamentary elections. Who can sell this current story better? PiS points to revenge, extreme lawlessness, chaos, and the other side will say that PiS cannot accept defeat, etc. – says Pavel Lisitsky. – Tusk created a situation where law ceased to be the reference point and force became the reference point. Those who have power are theoretically right, he adds.
Trailer of episode 259 “Polska Do Rzeczy” show. Everything is available to subscribers.
(tags translated)wybory