Polish Sejm reprimands Kaczyński for calling Tusk 'German Agent'

The Polish Parliament’s Ethics Committee has reprimanded the opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) leader, Jarosław Kaczyński, for calling recently appointed Prime Minister Donald Tusk a "German agent," the Polish newspaper Rzeszpospolita reported on Jan. 16, citing Confederation Party’s MP Konrad Berkowicz.

The decision came after a closed session of the committee and is the harshest punishment that can be imposed on a member of parliament. Kaczyński has the right to appeal the decision within 14 days.

Following Tusk's appointment as prime minister, Kaczynski requested to speak in parliament and called the head of the government a "German agent".

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"The Ethics Committee decided that it was unable to determine whether Donald Tusk is a German agent, but by a majority vote decided to reprimand Jarosław Kaczyński, taking into account the emotions provoked by these words," Berkowicz said.

When asked by journalists if he regretted his words, Kaczynski said he did not.

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Parliamentary elections for the Polish Sejm and Senate, as well as a nationwide referendum, were held on Oct. 15. Voter turnout was 74.38%, a record high since Poland’s emergence from communist rule in 1989.

The ruling PiS won the elections with 35.38%, followed by Polish opposition politician Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition with 30.66%, the Third Way coalition of centrist parties with 14%, the left-wing Lewica with 8.61%, and the Confederation with 7.16%.

The democratic opposition, which includes Tusk’s party, the centrist Third Way, and the Left alliance, formed a majority in the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, with approximately 250 seats, granting them the authority to form the government.

Tusk became Poland’s new Prime Minister, on Dec. 11, ending the eight-year rule of the ultra-conservative Law and Justice party.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine