Polish Supreme Court President’s Immunity Case Dismissed

The news in Polish

1. trybunał  (m.)
   organ władzy sądowniczej, zajmujący się ważnymi sprawami prawnymi ↩︎
2. zakończyć
   doprowadzić coś do końca ↩︎
3. postępowanie  (n.)
   proces lub działanie zgodne z przepisami prawa ↩︎
4. spełnić
   zrealizować jakiś warunek lub oczekiwanie ↩︎
5. quorum  (n.)
   minimalna liczba osób potrzebna do przeprowadzenia ważnych decyzji ↩︎
6. dalszy
   kontynuujący coś po wcześniejszym etapie ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is Małgorzata Manowska in this case?

Question 2: Why was the case dismissed by the court?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
trybunał  (m.)	tribunal
zakończyć	finish
postępowanie  (n.)	proceeding
spełnić	fulfil
quorum  (n.)	quorum
dalszy	further

Read the full story

The State Tribunal in Poland has dismissed the proceedings regarding a request to revoke the immunity of Małgorzata Manowska, the First President of the Supreme Court. This decision was made after the tribunal, led by a panel of three judges, determined that necessary legal requirements were not met. The proceedings were initially prompted by accusations from the National Prosecutor’s Office against Manowska for alleged overreach and neglect of duties.

According to the tribunal, which included judges Piotr Andrzejewski, Piotr Sak, and Józef Zych, the dismissal was due to the absence of a quorum and a competent prosecutor. This development unfolded after an initial attempt to resolve the matter was disrupted by procedural disputes, leading to a temporary postponement and eventual private session. The tribunal’s official decision and accompanying justifications were released online, including individual dissenting opinions from Judges Zych and Andrzejewski, alongside a declaration by Judge Sak.

In July, the National Prosecutor’s Office had formally petitioned to revoke Manowska’s immunity, aiming to bring charges of exceeding her authority and failing to convene and act upon certain judicial matters. Specifically, Manowska was accused of recognizing votes from the Supreme Court’s Collegium without sufficient quorum and neglecting to hold a mandatory tribunal session on time. Additionally, there was failure to enforce a final ruling regarding the suspension of a judge in Olsztyn.

Throughout the proceedings, Manowska has maintained her innocence, denying any wrongdoing and asserting that her legal immunity should remain intact. Despite the dismissal by the State Tribunal, the National Prosecutor’s Office plans to continue its legal efforts. Prosecutors have expressed determination to seek permission anew to lift Manowska’s immunity, potentially through separate petitions addressing each individual charge.

The case underscores the intricate legal and procedural challenges involved when high-ranking judicial officials are scrutinized. It highlights the tensions between different Polish legal institutions tasked with maintaining oversight and accountability within the judiciary. Observers are watching closely as the Prosecutor’s Office strategizes its next steps, which will be instrumental in determining the course of this high-profile legal conflict.

Info: “Polish Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Polish”, a dedicated language school specialising in Polish. We offer a variety of online Polish courses designed to help every Polish learn at their own pace and level.