On Wednesday, October 18, PiS MP Dariusz Matecki amazed everyone, announcing from the Sejm talker that he waived parliamentary immunity. This decision was made in consequence to a request from the D.A. who wants to press six charges against the politician. Matecki stressed that his decision stems from convictions and is simply a symbolic motion towards citizens.
– I renounce my parliamentary immunity. This is the consequence of my views. The associate should not stand above the citizen. Including Mr. Tomasz Grodzki. During the elections, I declared that I was in favour of eliminating parliamentary and judicial immunity, so this is my honorary commitment to citizens despite the fact that I completely disagree with the prosecution's allegations," said Matecki.
The prosecution's allegations: political revenge or justice?
The PiS MP powerfully denied the allegations, calling them "political revenge". In his opinion, the D.A. is acting on behalf of Donald Tusk, who was expected to endanger him with prison at the first session of the Sejm. – The charges imposed on me by the forcefully seized prosecutor on behalf of Donald Tusk, who already at the first session of the Sejm, with hatred in his eyes, shouted that I would sit, are only political revenge, trying to destruct me from public life," Matecki said.
The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses the politician, inter alia, of "taking action to accomplish the property and individual benefits of consulting officials of the Ministry of Justice of the terms of the offer of Fidei Defensor associations and wellness Friends before formally submitting these offers in a competition for grants from the Justice Fund". Additionally, Matecki is to be suspected of actions aimed at identifying circumstantial organisations as beneficiaries of the grant, contrary to the rules of the competition.
Symbolic gesture: MP in cuffs on parliament speaker
During his speech Matecki made an different gesture, putting handcuffs on his hands. - You want an MP in handcuffs on TVN? There you go. Ladies and gentlemen, you have your own show. You will have a messenger in handcuffs on a parliament platform," he said. “Let this image become a symbol of what Poland is going to do,” he added.
The PiS politician did not limit himself to gestures. He besides made an appeal in English to the “free world”, calling his situation an example of the collapse of democracy in Poland. – This is simply a message from Poland to the free world, from democracy that falls. I stand before you in handcuffs in the Polish parliament. I'm a associate of the opposition, and they want to throw me in jail for nothing. This is not justice, this is simply a political attack," he said.
Matecki besides pulled a large banner with photographs of Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Donald Tusk and Adam Bodnar, with the inscription “every dictatorship will fail”. “Every dictatorship will fall 1 day,” he stressed.
By the way, I wonder if the banner was funded from the left money he received from Ziobra as part of the Justice Fund scams.
Thank you, everyone! @pisorgpl
Every dictatorship will fall! pic.twitter.com/RhXsY9Ib5S
— Dariusz Matecki (@Dariusz Matecki) March 5, 2025
What's next for Matecki?
The Sejm's Rules of Procedure, Members' Affairs and Immunities Committee approved the prosecution's request to waive the immunity of Darius Matecki. She besides agreed to detain and temporarily arrest a PiS MP. Now that you've given up your immunity, things can go fast.
Matecki announced that he was not going to run distant from the justice system, although he stressed that the charges were unfounded. – I am not afraid, I am not fainting before you, I am not leaving, although I could – he turned to the governing coalition.
Summary
Dariusz Matecki's decision to renounce immunity sparked a stormy discussion in the Polish political scene. Is it a motion of honor or a political play? 1 thing is certain – this issue will long be recorded in the past of Polish parliamentaryism.
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Dariusz Matecki waives immunity
