The Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, Sylvester Marciniak, expressed his hope that at Monday’s meeting, the members of the Commission will take a position regarding the issue of the Minister of Finance regarding the payment of money to law and justice. He assessed that their non-payment could be the basis of election protests.
The National Election Commission will hold a meeting on Monday. He will then respond to Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski’s letter from early January regarding the interpretation of the resolution in which the National Electoral Commission approved the financial report of the PiS election committee for the Sejm and Senate elections in 2023.
Marchiniak noted on Wednesday in Polsat News that the National Electoral Commission cannot decide on the interpretation of its other decision, because there is no such procedure in the Electoral Code. He added that it is “probable” that the finance minister’s explanation is possible.
– This is evaluated by the National Election Commission. We will meet on Monday and I hope we will make a decision on this. I left it for discussion. NEC members should take a stand, he said. – I hope that we will reach a consensus or at least an agreement, and it will not be a rotten agreement, – Marciniak added.
He also noted that the National Electoral Commission, while reviewing the report of the PiS electoral committee on the parliamentary elections in the summer, had information about about 60 notifications to law enforcement agencies about violations in the financing of the party’s pre-election campaign.
– It is January and we have not received any verdict – not even from the criminal court, not even the final verdict – about the conviction in connection with the election issues, – said the head of the National Election Commission.
Sylwester MarciniakPAP
Head of the National Election Commission: non-implementation of the decision may be grounds for election protests
He also emphasized that the issue of the subsidy payment and then the subsidy to PiS after the National Electoral Commission adopted on December 30 – as a result of the decision of the Supreme Court – the financial report of the Ministry of Finance is a “technical activity”. Electoral commission of PiS.
Marciniak said the finance minister should pay the money to PiS as soon as possible so that “there is no threat of hundreds or thousands of election protests.” – We receive such conclusions and letters that if the decision of the National Election Commission is not implemented, it can be the basis for electoral protest claims, – Marcinyak said.
When asked what the second decision of the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs of the Supreme Court is about money for PiS, he noted that the acceptance of the appeal of the political party against the decision of the National Electoral Commission to reject its annual report is obliged to the National Electoral Commission. – according to the provisions of the Election Code – to accept this report immediately. However, he expressed concern that in this case too, a situation similar to the report of the PiS election committee on the 2023 elections will be repeated.
Debate about money for PiS
In August 2024, the National Electoral Commission rejected the financial report of the PiS election committee from the 2023 parliamentary elections, citing violations in the use of campaign funds in the amount of PLN 3.6 million. In November, the National Election Commission also rejected PiS’ annual financial report for 2023.
PiS appealed both decisions of the National Electoral Commission to the Supreme Court. The Extraordinary Chamber of Control and Public Relations of the Supreme Court decided on December 11, which was not recognized by the European courts, was created by PiS politicians and by the National Council of the Judiciary, which was politicized by them, that the financial statements of PiS should be accepted.
READ ALSO: The unrecognized Chamber of the Supreme Court decided on PiS’s appeal
Therefore, on December 30, the National Electoral Commission accepted the financial report of the PiS committee on the parliamentary elections of 2023, at the same time, the National Electoral Commission emphasized whether the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Relations of Tajikistan will not determine. The Supreme Court is a court and does not determine its effectiveness.
The decision of the National Election Commission was sent to the Minister of Finance Andrzej Domanski, who ordered the transfer to the political parties. But Domansky asked the National Election Commission to explain this decision.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court’s Extraordinary Control and Public Relations Chamber accepted PiS’s second appeal against the rejection of its 2023 financial statements.
Main photo source: PAP
