Poland: Tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the government
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated Saturday in Warsaw in protest for the "demolition of democracy 'by the conservative government which took office a month ago, and Poland continues to face a constitutional crisis.
Waving Polish flags and flags of the European Union, the participants in the mobilization chanted the slogan "we want the Constitution, not revolution," requiring the government to respect the rule of law.
The conflict on the Constitution of Poland broke out when the Eurosceptic party Law and Justice (PiS), which he attained a landslide victory in the October elections, has appointed five new members over the total 15 in the Constitutional Court, a move that the opposition featuring illegal.
The PiS rejects category. Arguing that judges had to be replaced in order to balance power in court and that it was the previous government that had violated the law when they proceeded in previous appointments.
"The appointments they had been based on a faulty law," said Minister Beata Sintlo. "Just Bring to law," she added.
The acquisition of control in the Constitutional Court considered a move-key to the ruling party. It may judge whether the PiS will be able to apply the main components of the policy, such as pension reform and pension system, but also the reduction of the percentage of the share capital of banks can hold foreigners. The Constitutional Court could prevent the implementation of such measures.
"The Constitutional Court in its present composition is a reflection of everything going wrong in Poland ', argued the PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski at the private television network TV Republika. "All our movements may be undermined (by the court) in an arbitrary way," he added.
But critics say the government wants to emulate the example of the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán and impose its political program defying the limits of democracy.
A poll conducted for the public Polish television showed that half Polish and now believe that democracy in the country is threatened.
The march was organized by a non-partisan organization, the Committee for the Defense of Democracy, but was supported by the opposition.
"Here is Warsaw, Budapest no!" Chanted the protesters. Smaller protests were held in other cities.
"Today is an attack against the Constitutional Court, may tomorrow be attacking our freedom," said Risarnt Peter, a former World Bank economist and now a leader of the Modern party, fourth in parliamentary power.
Among the protesters was the economist Lesek Balserovits, who designed the "shock therapy" for Poland's transition from communism to capitalism.
The PiS insists that it was the previous government of center-right Citizens Platform (PO) who violated the law. The previous government has passed a law this year that allowed the previous parliament to appoint five judges instead of three that were planned. But the president Andrzej Duda, an ally of the PiS, refused to swear them paving the way to the party to challenge the appointments.
Once elected to the PiS government has set aside the appointments and the new parliamentary majority has appointed five new judges, who under oath by Duda.
The president announced last week the creation of a working group on the reform of the Constitutional Court and specially the way appointment of its members.
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated Saturday in Warsaw in protest for the "demolition of democracy 'by the conservative government which took office a month ago, and Poland continues to face a constitutional crisis.
Waving Polish flags and flags of the European Union, the participants in the mobilization chanted the slogan "we want the Constitution, not revolution," requiring the government to respect the rule of law.
The conflict on the Constitution of Poland broke out when the Eurosceptic party Law and Justice (PiS), which he attained a landslide victory in the October elections, has appointed five new members over the total 15 in the Constitutional Court, a move that the opposition featuring illegal.
The PiS rejects category. Arguing that judges had to be replaced in order to balance power in court and that it was the previous government that had violated the law when they proceeded in previous appointments.
"The appointments they had been based on a faulty law," said Minister Beata Sintlo. "Just Bring to law," she added.
The acquisition of control in the Constitutional Court considered a move-key to the ruling party. It may judge whether the PiS will be able to apply the main components of the policy, such as pension reform and pension system, but also the reduction of the percentage of the share capital of banks can hold foreigners. The Constitutional Court could prevent the implementation of such measures.
"The Constitutional Court in its present composition is a reflection of everything going wrong in Poland ', argued the PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski at the private television network TV Republika. "All our movements may be undermined (by the court) in an arbitrary way," he added.
But critics say the government wants to emulate the example of the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán and impose its political program defying the limits of democracy.
A poll conducted for the public Polish television showed that half Polish and now believe that democracy in the country is threatened.
The march was organized by a non-partisan organization, the Committee for the Defense of Democracy, but was supported by the opposition.
"Here is Warsaw, Budapest no!" Chanted the protesters. Smaller protests were held in other cities.
"Today is an attack against the Constitutional Court, may tomorrow be attacking our freedom," said Risarnt Peter, a former World Bank economist and now a leader of the Modern party, fourth in parliamentary power.
Among the protesters was the economist Lesek Balserovits, who designed the "shock therapy" for Poland's transition from communism to capitalism.
The PiS insists that it was the previous government of center-right Citizens Platform (PO) who violated the law. The previous government has passed a law this year that allowed the previous parliament to appoint five judges instead of three that were planned. But the president Andrzej Duda, an ally of the PiS, refused to swear them paving the way to the party to challenge the appointments.
Once elected to the PiS government has set aside the appointments and the new parliamentary majority has appointed five new judges, who under oath by Duda.
The president announced last week the creation of a working group on the reform of the Constitutional Court and specially the way appointment of its members.
