Jarosław Kaczyński, chairman of the opposition party, Law and Justice Party (PiS), testified on Friday as a witness before the Parliamentary Investigative Committee on Envelope Elections.
The committee investigating the failed 2020 postal presidential elections.
Poland’s presidential election was initially scheduled to take place on May 10, 2020, in the middle of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The government headed by the Law and Justice (PiS) party made preparations for an entirely postal ballot, including printing and preparing to post the ballot papers, even before the relevant legislation allowing the election to take place became law.
In the end the election went ahead as normal.
Poland’s presidential election was initially scheduled to take place on May 10, 2020, in the middle of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The government headed by the Law and Justice (PiS) party made preparations for an entirely postal ballot, including printing and preparing to post the ballot papers, even before the relevant legislation allowing the election to take place became law.
In the end the election went ahead as normal.
The prospect of a postal ballot raised numerous red flags in both Poland and abroad over the legality and constitutionality of such a vote.
Kaczyński testifies
At the beginning of the hearing, Kaczyński criticised the committee itself. He blamed the leading party in the current coalition government, Civic Platform (PO) for the fact that the postal elections did not take place.
“We have a situation where those who are wrong doers have those who wanted to perform a constitutional duty put in the position of defendants,” the Law and Justice chairman said.
Commenting on the decision to hold envelope elections, Kaczyński argued that it was taken in a situation where citizens' lives were at risk. “As for the actions that were taken in the technical, legal sphere, I can say one thing: due diligence was exercised. All actions were carried out in a way that guaranteed that the decision of the prime minister was based on the current law, and this law gave the basis for the decision,” Kaczyński said.
According to the former deputy prime minister, this was the only way to protect citizens from a major threat to their lives i.e. the coronavirus.
Asked who was in charge of the envelope election, Kaczyński remained unclear as to who was responsible.
Kaczyński had consulted with former PM
The Law and Justice Party chairman also testified before the committee that he consulted with former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki about holding presidential elections.
When asked if he would have made the same decision today regarding the envelope elections, Kaczyński said it was a joint decision, although he does not want to deny his complicity in the decision-making process.
Kaczyński testifies
At the beginning of the hearing, Kaczyński criticised the committee itself. He blamed the leading party in the current coalition government, Civic Platform (PO) for the fact that the postal elections did not take place.
“We have a situation where those who are wrong doers have those who wanted to perform a constitutional duty put in the position of defendants,” the Law and Justice chairman said.
Commenting on the decision to hold envelope elections, Kaczyński argued that it was taken in a situation where citizens' lives were at risk. “As for the actions that were taken in the technical, legal sphere, I can say one thing: due diligence was exercised. All actions were carried out in a way that guaranteed that the decision of the prime minister was based on the current law, and this law gave the basis for the decision,” Kaczyński said.
According to the former deputy prime minister, this was the only way to protect citizens from a major threat to their lives i.e. the coronavirus.
Asked who was in charge of the envelope election, Kaczyński remained unclear as to who was responsible.
Kaczyński had consulted with former PM
The Law and Justice Party chairman also testified before the committee that he consulted with former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki about holding presidential elections.
When asked if he would have made the same decision today regarding the envelope elections, Kaczyński said it was a joint decision, although he does not want to deny his complicity in the decision-making process.
Source: Wprost
