PiS lawmaker’s immunity not lifted for abuse of power charges

In a parliamentary vote Polish lawmakers voted not to lift the immunity of Polish opposition MP Mariusz Kaminski so that he could face charges of abuse of power, the Polish media reported in June 2014.

“I could see how colleagues from the back rows voted,” a PO lawmaker said anonymously as quoted by Polish daily Rzeczpospolita. “I shouted at them saying that they are supporting Kaminski, but it had no effect on them.

The MP quoted above was clearly unhappy about seven PO colleagues who voted in favour of Kaminski and another thirty four who abstained or were absent. The same MP put the blame on the head of PO Rafal Grupinski stating that he should have organized a club meeting and explain party members how they should vote on Kaminski’s immunity matter.

During the vote, two hundred sixteen Members of Parliament voted in favour of lifting Kaminski’s immunity, 160 – against, and 46 – abstained from voting. Two hundred thirty one votes were needed to lift the immunity. Shortly before the vote, Kaminski gave a lengthy speech alleging that former Poland’s President Aleksander Kwasniewski and his wife Jolanta Kwasniewska have committed a series of wrongdoings, including tax evasion.

Information revealed by Kaminski in his speech remains confidential.

The prosecution requested that Parliament lift Kaminski’s immunity in order to charge him for abuse of power from the period of time when he acted as the head of the Central Anticorruption Bureau, and in particular for an undercover operation aimed at proving that the Kwasniewski hid assets from the fiscal authorities. The operation was not successful.