The president of the NBP assures that he is apolitical, and another PiS man joins the management board. “It’s like Noah’s Ark”

The question at Thursday’s conference of the President of the National Bank of Poland regarding the nomination of Artur Soboń as a member of the management board of the National Bank of Poland was asked after a rather long argument by Adam Glapiński about the apolitical nature of the central bank and its president. – The National Bank of Poland is independent, so cooperation with us is sometimes difficult – he assured.

The president has just elected another Law and Justice man to the management board of the central bank. This is Artur Soboń – a former deputy minister who managed to work in five ministries in five years. – We see that this is Noah’s Ark, a lifeboat for the politicians of the outgoing government – says Marek Belka, former president of the National Bank of Poland and former prime minister.

There are almost no people on the NBP management board who are not related to Nowogrodzka. The bank’s president is a former member of the Kaczyński brothers’ Center Agreement, and vice-president Adam Lipiński was until recently one of the most important people on Nowogrodzka Street. The management board includes former MPs, a former deputy minister and a former minister in the Chancellery of the President.

– Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz and Marek Belka, i.e. politicians who sat in this body, did not bother you – says Paweł Jabłoński, deputy minister of foreign affairs, MP from Law and Justice.

Artur Soboń was appointed by President Andrzej Duda five days before the vote of confidence in the government of Mateusz Morawiecki. Now the new board member will have to resign from his mandate as an MP. Law and Justice politicians assure that the former deputy minister will definitely be apolitical. – Artur Soboń’s responsibility is also a feature that makes him able to ensure apolitical and impartiality in his actions, in the actions of the NBP as a member of the management board – says Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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On the side of the parliamentary majority, we hear about a talent pool, or even a talent pool, because the earnings of NBP management board members amount to over PLN 60,000 gross per month. – We see such a massive action, an evacuation from this sinking PiS ship – says Andrzej Domański, an MP from the Civic Coalition.

Artur Soboń managed to make a career in five ministries and held several positions as government plenipotentiaries. He was supposed to save the Polish Order. – Mr. Soboń’s experience with the Polish Order is a contra-recommendation for this person to the management board – says Krzysztof Paszyk, MP from the Polish People’s Party.

For the parliamentary majority, Soboń’s nomination is another proof that the State Tribunal should be considered for the president of the NBP. When asked about the application against Adam Glapiński, the leader of the Civic Platform emphasizes that a “thorough legal analysis” is underway. In turn, MP Marcin Kierwiński, asked whether the Civic Coalition would support such a motion, replied yes.

– We see very serious reasons for such a request to be considered seriously. However, this requires a lot of work – points out Mirosław Suchoń, MP from Poland 2050. – We need an application and we need to agree that we are preparing such an application – adds Dariusz Wieczorek, MP from the Left.

Half a year ago, there were no doubts in PSL whether and for what the president of the NBP was entitled to the State Tribunal. – He jeopardized the independence of Narodowy Bank Polski, turned it into an annex of one political party, and secondly, he had no value for the zloty – says MP Paszyk.

The former president of the NBP, although he does not spare criticism of the current president, does not see the option of bringing him before the State Tribunal. – We have reservations about his monetary policy or the way he speaks about monetary policy, but this is not a reason to bring any lawsuits before the State Tribunal – emphasizes Marek Belka.

The President of the NBP is directly responsible for compliance with the provisions of the Constitution. – From the point of view of the Act on the State Tribunal, as well as the constitution, there are grounds for such charges to be brought. Another issue is whether the allegations discussed in the media will be sufficiently documented – explains constitutionalist Dr. Monika Haczkowska.

The mere act of doing so would force the president to suspend his duties, which is why today’s opposition’s plans worried the head of the European Central Bank. The head of the National Bank of Poland sees it similarly. – Any majority in parliament that would be formed could change the president of the NBP again under any pretext. Well, what country would we live in then? It would not be a Western-type civilization and not a system, argued Glapiński.

Also check: Controversy surrounding Glapiński’s advisors

At Thursday’s conference, the president argued how good his cooperation with each future government will be. – The new government will be neither better nor worse than with the previous government – declared the president of the central bank.

An absolute majority, i.e. 231 MPs, is enough to bring the president of the NBP before the State Tribunal. The future ruling coalition can count on 248 deputies, but the path to being brought before the State Tribunal is really long – it consists of five stages.