WARSAW - On February 10, 2024, Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar announced the six-month suspension of Deputy Prosecutor General Michał Ostrowski.

The decision came amid an investigation into potential abuse of power by Ostrowski in connection with inquiries initiated by Bogdan Święczkowski, the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, which is currently dominated by judges nominated by the previous government led by the Law and Justice Party (PiS).

Bodnar's move is tied to Ostrowski's role in investigating allegations that current authorities have undermined the decisions of the Constitutional Tribunal and questioned the legitimacy of its judges.

This investigation was specifically initiated following a notification from Święczkowski concerning an alleged coup d'état involving key political figures, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the speakers of both parliamentary chambers.

Święczkowski claimed that these individuals had been operating as part of an organized criminal group since Tusk's coalition government came into power in December 2023. The attempted coup is purported to aim at altering the constitutional structure of Poland and interfering with the functioning of the Constitutional Tribunal and other constitutional establishments.

Tusk's government has pledged to restore the rule of law and reverse the judicial reforms enacted by the previous PiS administration, which were criticized by the European Union (EU) and led to legal proceedings against Poland.

The controversial reforms were deemed to have compromised judicial independence, prompting the European Court of Justice to intervene and leading the European Commission to freeze funds from the EU’s NextGenerationEU program.

The new government successfully introduced an action plan addressing these concerns, allowing the previously frozen funds to be disbursed.

In contrast, PiS alleges that Tusk's administration is undermining judicial independence and has accused it of breaching democratic standards.

In light of his suspension, Ostrowski has expressed intentions to appeal the decision, emphasizing that he had acted in accordance with his responsibilities and sought to conduct the investigation thoroughly.

He characterized the current government’s actions as a systemic coup detrimental to judicial autonomy, asserting that his inquiries should proceed.

Ostrowski is affiliated with Zbigniew Ziobro, the former justice minister and prosecutor general related to PiS, who has criticized Bodnar's decision as scandalous.

Ziobro expressed his belief that if PiS were to regain power, the investigation would be revisited, and those implicated, including Tusk and other officials, would be held accountable.

As the situation develops, it underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding Poland’s judiciary and the broader implications for governance amidst a shifting political landscape.