Polish parliamentary committee says central bank chief should face State Tribunal

Polish Parliamentary Committee Recommends Tribunal for Central Bank Chief

Parliamentary Proceedings and Allegations Against Adam Glapinski

Committee's Recommendation and Accusations

WARSAW, Oct 9 (Reuters) - A Polish parliamentary committee has recommended that central bank governor Adam Glapinski be brought before the State Tribunal to answer accusations of constitutional violations in office, its chairman Zdzislaw Gawlik said on Friday.

The committee accuses Glapinski of violating Poland's constitution and statutes by indirectly financing the budget deficit through asset purchases in 2020–2021, conducting such operations without "proper authorization" from the Monetary Policy Council, and politicising the central bank.

He denies the accusations.

Next Steps in the Parliamentary Process

The committee's report will now be referred to the lower house of parliament, the Sejm, for a vote. A date for the vote has not yet been set but can take place no sooner than 21 days after all lawmakers have had a chance to review the report.

"The committee found all the allegations to be well-founded... I see no grounds or circumstances that would cast doubt on the justification for bringing the governor before the State Tribunal," Gawlik told reporters in the Sejm.

Political Context and Reactions

Political Affiliations and Motivations

Glapinski has long-standing ties to Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party which lost power in 2023. Gawlik is from the centrist party of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, which has vowed to bring to account those it accuses of wrongdoing under the previous PiS administration.

Glapinski's Response

Glapinski said on Thursday the committee's proceedings were "completely unfounded" and detrimental to Poland's national interests. He said the central bank would not yield "to any political pressure".

"The Sejm and the government have no right to interfere with monetary policy conducted by the central bank," Glapinski told a monthly press conference at the bank.

Legal and Constitutional Implications

Voting Requirements and Tribunal Procedures

The Sejm would need an absolute majority of votes, with at least half of the statutory number of deputies present, to adopt the resolution to bring Glapinski before the tribunal.

Constitutional Tribunal's Ruling

However, the Constitutional Tribunal challenged these provisions in 2024, ruling that such a vote would require a three-fifths majority of lawmakers to pass. The government does not deem that ruling valid. Adopting the resolution would result in his suspension from office.

Term of Office

Glapinski’s second and final term expires in June 2028.

(Reporting by Karol Badohal and Pawel FlorkiewiczEditing by Gareth Jones)