Polish President Andrzej Duda condemned the late-night arrest of two former ruling party lawmakers at the presidential palace, escalating political chaos within the European country.
The development marks the latest dramatic escalation of the power struggle with the new pro-European government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The situation underscores the challenge that the premier faces in his efforts to dismantle the eight years of nationalist rule in the country.
Polish MPs Arrested in Presidential Palace
It also highlights the challenges that he faces in lifting the suspension of nearly $65 billion in European Union aid. President Duda, who is an ally of the former populist administration, wields veto power over legislation that is needed to carry out the overhaul, as per Bloomberg.
The arrest of the former interior minister and deputy interior minister inside the Warsaw presidential palace was a day of unprecedented political theater. Last month, Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wasik were sentenced to two years in prison for abuse of power when they led an anti-corruption office in 2007.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the arrests, the new interior minister, Marcin Kierwinski said that "Everyone is equal before the law." The arrests showcased the deep political turmoil between the Law and Justice (PiS) party and the new pro-EU coalition.
The two arrested individuals were elected PiS MPs in October last year and they refused to recognize last month's court decision. This was because Duda, an ally of PiS, pardoned them for the crime in 2015.
The president had also argued that he does not recognize the court's ruling because he insists that his pardon remains valid regardless. In a televised address on Wednesday, the Polish president noted that he was deeply shaken by the two men being imprisoned, describing them as honest, according to BBC.
While the two MPs were both stripped of their parliamentary mandates, they and Duda insisted that they remain legally elected MPs because of the Polish president's pardon. The court issued on Monday evening a warrant to police to detain the two individuals.
Political Chaos
Despite the order, Duda invited them to Warsaw's presidential palace on Tuesday morning so that they could attend a ceremony to swear in two of their former colleagues as presidential advisers.
A few afters after arriving at the palace, the two men went out to briefly speak to reporters, while still remaining inside its grounds. Kaminski said they would be "political prisoners" if they were arrested and expressed his gratitude to Duda for his continued support.
Tusk's early efforts to redress the takeover of public institutions and the degradation of the rule of law have been viewed as combative. This comes amid a trend under the PiS government that alarmed international watchdogs and fueled a years-long standoff between Warsaw and the European Union.
Kaminski on Wednesday called his conviction an "act of political revenge" and argued that he would go on hunger strike in protest. The two MPs who were arrested have essentially ignored their convictions and have tried to sit in the country's parliament despite being barred from holding public office, said CNN.
