Ryszard Kalisz about the PiS subsidy: We have a stalemate in the National Electoral Commission. This means that PiS will receive subsidies and subsidies

Ryszard Kaliszlawyer and member of the National Electoral Commission, was asked in the “#BezKitu” program on TVN24 what about the Commission's decision regarding the Law and Justice subsidy. The National Electoral Commission was supposed to deal with the PiS report for 2023 at the beginning of October. Due to the possibility of rejecting the report, Law and Justice is at risk of losing the entire subsidy for the next three years, i.e. a total of over PLN 77 million.

As Kalisz reported, “The National Electoral Commission had plans to hold a meeting on October 4, but this meeting will not take place.” – Because the last meeting, which took place on September 23, ended with the conclusion of the chairman, Sylwester Marciniak, that due to the clinch that occurred in the National Electoral Commission, he would not convene meetings – he announced.

Kalisz said that the dispute concerns the recognition or non-recognition of the judgments of the Supreme Court's Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs, which he considers to be non-existent. A vote on this matter was held at the meeting on September 23. – Eight members took part in the vote. Four were for non-recognition, four for recognition, including the chairman of the National Electoral Commission (…). Well, it was a stalemate and that was the end of the meeting, he said.

Ryszard Kalisz said that “the fact that we will not work now means that (…) we will not accept the annual reports of political parties.”

– What does this mean in practice? – asked the host of the program Radomir Wit.

– In practice, in the case of PiS, for example, this means that PiS will receive (…) subsidies and subsidies in the full amount until, for example, this house, until Supreme Court will not rule on this matter. And if this chamber rules, we will not recognize it again and the decision from August remains in force. Any other view is impossible to accept here, we simply have to rely on the only legal system existing in Poland, which states that this chamber has no power to adjudicate – said Kalisz.

He also explained that “the only person who can convene a meeting of the National Electoral Commission is its chairman.” – I hope that the chairman will convene the meeting, because it is impossible for a state body, the highest electoral body, not to hold a meeting – he added.

Moreover, at the end of August, the National Electoral Commission rejected the financial report of the PiS election committee for the 2023 parliamentary elections, accusing the group of irregularities in campaign financing amounting to PLN 3.6 million. Due to this decision, the subjective subsidy for this party (almost PLN 38 million) was reduced by three times the questioned amount, i.e. by approximately PLN 10.8 million. The nearly PLN 26 million annual subsidy was reduced by PLN 10.8 million, and PiS must also return the disputed sum, i.e. PLN 3.6 million, to the State Treasury.

At the beginning of September, PiS appealed against the decision to the Supreme Court, arguing that it was made “in complete contradiction of the law.” If the Supreme Court finds the complaint justified, the National Electoral Commission decides to accept the financial report.

READ ALSO: The National Electoral Commission will submit its position on the PiS complaint to the Supreme Court

However, the complaint will be considered by the Supreme Court's Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs, which is not recognized by international tribunals – so it is unclear how its ruling will be treated. Statements by government representatives suggested that the decision of the National Electoral Commission should remain in force until it is challenged by a court whose status is not questioned.

>> What if the questioned chamber accepts PiS's complaint? National Electoral Commission member: it will not be easy to make a decision <<