President Duda Submits “Lex Tusk” Draft Amendment to the Sejm
President Andrzej Duda has submitted a draft amendment to the Act on the establishment of a commission for examining Russian influences, also known as “lex Tusk,” to the Sejm. The President, who signed the act four days earlier, announced on Friday morning that it would be sent to parliament. The proposed changes include provisions that a deputy or senator cannot become a commission member and that this body’s decision will be subject to appeal to the court of appeal.
The law on the establishment of a commission to investigate Russian influence on the internal security of the Republic of Poland from 2007 to 2022 came into effect on Wednesday. President Duda signed it four days ago (on Monday, May 29) and simultaneously announced that he would refer it to the Constitutional Tribunal in a subsequent procedure, expected to occur by mid-June.
The law has been widely opposed by experts and politicians. They argue that it violates the principles of a democratic state ruled by law, and many provisions of the constitution and is aimed at eliminating political opponents. The United States and the European Union have also expressed significant concern about the regulations.
On Friday, four days after signing the widely criticized act, the president announced that he had prepared an amendment to the regulations and would submit it to the Sejm on the same day. The project appeared on the chamber’s website in the afternoon.
President Duda’s proposals, as outlined in the draft, suggest that “membership in the committee cannot be combined with the mandate of an MP or senator” and that the chairman of this group is elected by its members. It also stated that the decision of the commission could be appealed to the Court of Appeal.