Lawmakers from Poland’s ruling pro-European Union coalition have initiated the rare process of bringing the central bank chief before a special court on allegations of acting against the country’s financial interests. This move could result in the chief being banned from political life. Critics of the effort argue that the ruling coalition may be going too far in their attempts to reverse the actions of Poland’s previous right-wing government, which were seen as undemocratic. The coalition, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has filed a motion at the parliament office to bring National Bank of Poland chief Adam Glapiński before the State Tribunal, which could potentially strip him of his post and ban him from all state positions.
One of the authors of the motion, Tomasz Trela, has criticized Glapiński as the “worst head of the National Bank of Poland since 1989,” accusing him of turning the bank into a political tool under the previous government. However, a bank board member, Pawel Szalamacha, has called the motion an attempt to break the independence of the central bank, warning that it could lead to the fracturing of the foundations of the Polish state and its economy. Glapiński, appointed in 2016 by the conservative Law and Justice party, is currently in his second term and faces allegations including unlawful funding of the state deficit, weakening the national currency ahead of elections, acting in the interest of a political party, and approving hefty bonuses for himself.
While there is criticism of Glapiński’s actions, not all lawmakers are in support of the motion to bring him before the State Tribunal. Przemyslaw Wipler, a lawmaker with the far-right Confederation party, expressed hesitance in supporting the motion, pointing out that many central bank chiefs have made mistakes. Despite criticism of Glapiński, there are questions about whether he should be tried before the tribunal. The motion, filed by 191 coalition lawmakers, will prompt a special parliamentary committee investigation into the allegations. If the allegations are substantiated, parliamentarians will have to vote on whether to try Glapiński before the tribunal, a process that could take up to a year.
The State Tribunal, established in 1921, has heard four cases in its history, with two defendants being banned from political life. The multi-step process that the motion to try Glapiński before the tribunal sets in motion involves a parliamentary committee investigation to determine the veracity of the allegations against the central bank chief. This process will likely be lengthy, with observers estimating it could take up to a year before a final decision is reached. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the independence of the central bank and the political landscape in Poland moving forward.
