I will not comment on the decision of the first president of the Supreme Court, Małgorzata Manowska. This is her role to lead the Supreme Court, Judge Paweł Styrna, chairman of the new National Council of the Judiciary, told “One for One”. In this way, he referred to Manowska’s orders concerning the unrecognized Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court.
The chairman of the new National Council of the Judiciary, Judge Paweł Styrna, spoke in TVN24’s “One for One” about two orders of the first, the President of the Supreme Court Małgorzata Manowska, issued in connection with the Disciplinary Chamber challenged as an independent judicial authority. Manowska partially froze the work of the Chamber.
– I will not comment on the decision of the first president of the Supreme Court. This is her role to lead the Supreme Court. The National Council of the Judiciary, which I am headed, does not exercise supervision over the Supreme Court and does not comment on the decision of the first president of the Supreme Court – stated Styrna.
The head of the new KRS: it is not the role of the Council to supervise the Supreme Court
As he said, “it is not the role of the National Council of the Judiciary to exercise supervision over the Supreme Court and comment on the decisions of the first president of the Supreme Court”. – The National Council of the Judiciary deals with the tasks entrusted to it, both in the constitution and in the act, and this is what we focus on. It seems to me that if everyone did what they had to do, it would be for the good of the state, added the head of the new National Council of the Judiciary.
He also assessed that “journalists sometimes play the role of prosecutors, politicians play the role of judges, and judges play the role of politicians”. “We are trying to avoid this and the Council is dealing with its powers,” added Styrna. He also explained that when he talks about judges taking the role of politicians, he means that they “comment on political decisions and try to put pressure on politicians to make certain decisions.”
– Judges should focus on their functions, which is administering justice first and foremost, he said.
Styrna: the justification for the CJEU ruling includes information constituting opinions about the National Council of the Judiciary
The chairman of the new National Council of the Judiciary also spoke about issued last week by this body of the position on the judgment Court of Justice of the European Union on July 15. The CJEU ruled that the system of disciplinary liability of judges in Poland is inconsistent with EU law.
The Tribunal “pointed in particular to the fact that the process of appointing Supreme Court judges, including members of the Disciplinary Chamber, depends to a large extent on the body (the National Council of the Judiciary), the structure of which has undergone very large changes by the Polish executive and legislative authority, and whose independence may raise reasonable doubts “.
The National Council of the Judiciary stated that “with deep concern and disappointment” it accepts the statements contained in the judgment of the EU tribunal. Styrna, on the other hand, assured in “One on One” that he “maintained” this opinion. – The Council adopted the position referring to the description of the situation of the National Council of the Judiciary contained in the justification of the Court of Justice of the European Union and I maintain this position in its entirety, I agree with it. At the meeting of the Council, I voted for this position – said the TVN24 guest.
In his opinion, “it is indeed the case that in the justification of the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union there were information constituting an opinion on the functioning of the Council, and no facts were indicated that could prove that the Council is not independent”.
Main photo source: tvn24