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Polish MPs asked to probe claims of power abuse under conservative gov't

23.11.2023 07:30
Poland's largest opposition bloc, the liberal Civic Coalition (KO), has asked parliament to investigate what it says are abuses of power by the outgoing conservative government, including alleged misuse of surveillance spyware.
MPs with Polands liberal Civic Coalition group, led by Donald Tusk (front centre).
MPs with Poland's liberal Civic Coalition group, led by Donald Tusk (front centre).PAP/Paweł Supernak

Civic Coalition MPs submitted the proposals to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, on Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The proposals focus on claims of power abuse and financial irregularities under the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party during its eight years in power.

Under the first bill, MPs would set up an investigative commission into what has been described as a cash-for-visas scandal involving allegations that Polish consulates overseas issued work visas to migrants in exchange for bribes.

The Civic Coalition has also asked the lower house to launch a probe into measures taken to hold the 2020 presidential election as a postal vote amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the third bill, parliament would set up an investigative commission into the government's alleged misuse of the Pegasus surveillance spyware.

The Civic Coalition has proposed that each of the three panels consist of 11 MPs, the PAP news agency  reported.

Poland to appoint new gov't

Poles elected a new set of 460 MPs and 100 senators when they went to the ballot box last month.

Polish President Andrzej Duda this month named Mateusz Morawiecki, who has led Poland's government since 2017, as prime minister-designate, tasking him with forming a new Cabinet.

The ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party won Poland's October 15 election, but lost its parliamentary majority and looks unlikely to stay in power for a third consecutive term.

Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, the leader of the Civic Coalition, has already chosen most candidates for ministerial roles in his future Cabinet, according to the Rzeczpospolita newspaper.

A bloc of opposition parties led by Tusk's Civic Coalition last week secured a resounding victory in Poland's new parliament during its first key vote to elect a house Speaker.

On November 10, these opposition groups, which also include the centre-right Third Way alliance and the Left party, signed an agreement to form a coalition government, pledging to restore the rule of law, promote green energy,  relax abortion rules and bring back state funding for in vitro fertilisation, among other policies.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAPi.pl