Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on abortion and border security. Asked about trust in the coalition

On Friday, the Sejm did not pass an amendment to the Penal Code that would decriminalize assistance in abortion and termination of pregnancy with the pregnant woman's consent up to the 12th week of pregnancy.. The bill was submitted by the Left. 435 deputies took part in the vote. 215 voted for the bill, 218 against, and two abstained.

The bill did not pass by a vote PISConfederation, Kukiz'15, and the vast majority of the PSL-TD club.

READ MORE: The first of the abortion bills failed. Who was for, who was against?

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense addressed this issue in Tuesday's edition of “Fakty po Faktach” Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz (president PSL), who also voted against. He was asked if he had spoken to the Prime Minister Donald Tusk About this case.

– We have not discussed this topic either at the Council of Ministers or outside the Council of Ministers – he said, adding that the four coalition leaders met “about two weeks ago”. – It depends on the intensity, sometimes they are once a week, sometimes they are less often, sometimes they are more often – he said.

He pointed out that “there is a topic of voting on the border protection act, where half of the Left caucus did not vote for the government act”. – Members of the Council of Ministers did not vote for the act. This is also an important topic, border protection, security of the Polish state. For me, as the Minister of Defence, head of the security committee, this is of course the most important topic of these activities – he said.

– I always say that it is worth talking about every topic – emphasized Kosiniak-Kamysz.

– About decriminalizing abortion too? – Anita Werner asked. – Sure, sure – replied the leader of the People's Party.

– I hear that the coalition is hanging by a thread, so I guess we need to talk about a few topics – said the journalist. – I don't know if it's hanging by a thread… – wondered the TVN24 guest.

– Trust is hanging by a thread – Werner clarified. – Well, you're right – Kosiniak-Kamysz replied after some thought. – If you don't vote because of border security and you have a different opinion here, that defending the border is not a priority, then of course it's a reason to talk, but I wouldn't say that this issue is causing the coalition to hang by a thread – he added.

Referring to the course of the vote in the Sejm, the PSL leader stated that “we did not surprise anyone”. – We have our own bill. I wonder why it was not put to a vote first. Why was this bill, which guarantees a return to the state before the Constitutional Tribunal's ruling, as the one that can gather a majority and obtain the president's acceptance, not the first, as the most certain of all those that are submitted. And this is strange to me, because I think that it should have been the one to start with – he said.

Asked about the prime minister's post before Friday's vote, according to which “we will vote for the decriminalization of abortion”, Kosiniak-Kamysz replied that “this is the opinion of the leader of the Civic Platform”. – This is not covered by the coalition agreement. PSL is a separate party, it is not anyone's vassal. We have our own policy and we have had one principle for years, which our coalition partners have known, it has never been a problem in the coalition with the Platform – said the deputy prime minister.

– And I don't believe that it has ever been a problem for Prime Minister Tusk that in our country people always vote individually on ideological issues. And no PSL leader, neither I nor my predecessors, have ever made any commitments in this matter – he added.

The Minister of National Defense also referred to the incident that took place on the night of July 13-14, 2024. Soldiers serving on the border were attacked by a group of about 20 young people who spat on their uniforms and made offensive gestures and vulgar slogans towards the soldiers.

READ MORE: A group of young people insulted soldiers. “No one will spit on the uniform of the Polish Army with impunity”

– The police and all services are working very intensively, hearings in this case are underway, all procedures are going very smoothly. I think that the results of the investigation and inquiry will be available soon – he said.

He pointed out that “the soldiers also endured and maintained the dignity of the function they perform”. – Of course, if, in my opinion, an escalation of the type of event that took place, they certainly had the right to react, even in self-defense, as those performing the function of protecting the border, resulting from the Border Guard Act – he added.