Questions about Romanowski, Tusk and the cross. Trzaskowski and Nawrocki respond

The pre-campaign for the presidential elections has started in earnest. The PiS candidate for president, who is officially presented as a civic candidate supported by PiS, was today in the town of Słup in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, and the candidate of the Civic Coalition Rafał Trzaskowski he was in Handzlówka in Podkarpacie.

Both were asked about the case of a man wanted on an arrest warrant PiS MP Marcin Romanowski, attitude towards religious symbols, as well as cooperation with the government Donald Tusk.

Former deputy minister of justice and PiS MP Marcin Romanowski has been wanted on an arrest warrant since Thursday. On Monday, the court decided to temporarily arrest him, but the police did not find him in any of the selected locations. The National Prosecutor's Office accuses Romanowski of committing 11 crimes, including participation in an organized criminal group and fixing competitions for money from the Justice Fund. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

KO candidate Rafał Trzaskowski, in turn, said that Romanowski behaves like a “criminal”. – He threw away his calling cards. It really looks like something out of a bad B-movie, so it's hard for me to imagine that any government official would give him protection at such a moment, when an arrest warrant was issued for him, he said.

– Mr. Romanowski simply behaves like a common criminal. The prosecutor's office is prosecuting him for embezzlement of money, for common crimes, so it is strange that PiS politicians justify this type of actions that ridicule the Polish state, said Trzaskowski.

READ MORE: Marcin Romanowski wanted on an arrest warrant. Police publish image and data

– The arrest warrant issued for MP Marcin Romanowski is a public fact for me. I have seen comments on social media from some MPs and ministers below the ceiling of good behavior and political awareness. I hope that you do not expect me to go down to the level of Minister Nitras, because I do not intend to go down to that level in the discussion about where Mr Marcin Romanowski is – said Karol Nawrocki.

He thus referred to Thursday's event press conference of the Minister of Sport Sławomir Nitras and deputy minister of defense Cezary Tomczyk. – We regret to say that today Mr. Karol Nawrocki's staff is actively participating in hiding Mr. Romanowski. From this point, we would like to appeal to Mr. Karol Nawrocki to fully cooperate with the prosecutor's office – said Nitras. Nawrocki himself did not comment on the search for Romanowski.

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The candidates were asked what their cooperation with the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk would look like if they win the elections. – Of course, I am willing to cooperate and it will certainly look good. I am in favor of the President of the Republic of Poland playing a much more active role and inspiring the government to act, said Rafał Trzaskowski.

– Of course, when it comes to security and foreign policy, we need support, coordination, but also showing initiative when it comes to strengthening Polish security. Hence my demand that in 2026 Poland should spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense – said the candidate of the Civic Coalition.

Karol Nawrocki, in turn, said that “it is natural that in matters that affect Poles, the President of Poland and the government of the Republic of Poland must cooperate with each other.” – On issues that do not arouse my understanding or are harmful to Poland, as president I will be very decisive. I will exert influence on the Polish government to implement the policy of state security, Polish prosperity, and Polish families, said Nawrocki. He announced that when it comes to cooperation with the government, “the most important thing will be the well-being of Poles.”

Rafał Trzaskowski said that he talked to the inhabitants of Podkarpacie about, among other things, security, the Polish economy, equalizing inequalities and respect for Polish tradition. – Neither I nor any party that forms the government coalition today wants to impose anything on anyone. The expectations are different in Warsaw, the expectations are different in Przeworsk, the expectations are different here. We need to know about it, respect it and take it into account, said the mayor of Warsaw.

Nawrocki was asked about his position on religious symbols in state offices. On Wednesday, the mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, denied that officials of the capital's local government removed crosses in public places. – Please note, we did not take down any cross, because these crosses simply have not been in such places in Warsaw for many, many years – said Trzaskowski then.

– For me, the symbol of the cross is an important symbol as a Christian and as a Catholic. For many Poles it may not be as important as it is for me personally. Someone who took down crosses in the offices of the Polish capital, if he wants to be a statesman and the President of the Republic of Poland, should take responsibility for his decisions, said Nawrocki.

– Let's be ourselves, Mr. Vice-President, my dear opponent. Let's declare the values ​​that are close to us. Let's take Poles very seriously, he appealed to Trzaskowski.