Back“Some representatives of the authorities openly say that they do not respect the Constitution. I find it particularly dangerous. No one has done anything like this in Poland since the transformation in 1989” – The Polish Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr. Adam Bodnar, told Onet.
Against the background of the recent political developments in Poland, Dr. Adam Bodnar gives a detailed interview to Mateusz Zimmerman on possible threats of the rule of law, the separation of state powers and the civil rights and liberties. “I think every person who pursues human rights professionally should now be particularly active and hardworking.”
Dr Adan Bodnar comments on the amendment of the rules of procedure of the Constitutional Tribunal and its effect on civil rights protection in Poland, should the government pass laws which might infringe fundamental rights of citizens: “Let’s assume that as The Commissioner for Human Rights I would challenge the law to the Constitutional Tribunal immediately after its publication. But in the face of the amendment, which we are talking, I could not even broadly estimate when the Tribunal would assess the case. So let's say it bluntly: even a clearly unconstitutional law, harming the rights and civil liberties, will not be able to be assessed by the Tribunal within a reasonable time. Solely the requirement to hear cases in the order of submission can obstruct the Tribunal for four or five years. And for even this reason only the citizens should be concerned about this situation.”
Source: Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
