Polish President Karol Nawrocki agrees to prosecutor questioning over stalled court appointments

Prosecutor's request and presidential response

The National Prosecutor's Office in Poland asked President Karol Nawrocki on 3 September 2026 to designate a convenient time and place for a witness interview. The inquiry, handled by a dedicated task force focused on the consequences of rulings by newly appointed judges, concerns the refusal to admit four Constitutional Tribunal judges to judicial duties. Speaking to reporters outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Nawrocki confirmed that he will submit to the interview, noting that he holds the same obligations as any other citizen of the country.

I am a citizen, just like every other citizen of the Republic of Poland.

Dispute over March judicial appointments

The legal dispute centers on six judges elected to the Constitutional Tribunal by the Sejm in March 2026. Nawrocki administered the oath of office to Magdalena Bentkowska and Dariusz Szostek on 1 April 2026, allowing them to assume their posts. However, he did not swear in the remaining four candidates: Marcin Dziurda, Krystian Markiewicz, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, and Maciej Taborowski. The four unsworn judges subsequently took an oath in parliament using the formulation "before the President" despite Nawrocki's absence. Constitutional Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski stated that he cannot allow these four individuals to adjudicate because they were never formally sworn in by the head of state.

Scope and origins of the criminal probe

The National Prosecutor's Office initiated the formal investigation on 21 April 2026 after receiving a notification from Bentkowska and Szostek. Prosecutor General press officer Anna Adamiak stated that prosecutors found Nawrocki's testimony necessary to establish all factual circumstances and complete a criminal evaluation of the case. The investigation examines whether public officials aided the president in failing to fulfill statutory duties by asserting that withholding the oaths was legally sound. Investigators are also examining potential failures of statutory duties by Tribunal personnel, alongside allegations of persistent violations of labor rights for withholding salaries, employment formalities, and case assignments from the four judges.

Political tensions and previous proceedings

Nawrocki told reporters that he personally makes all presidential decisions and intends to state that directly to investigators during the interview. He described the proliferation of prosecutorial proceedings directed at his office as burdensome for the governing coalition rather than his presidency, asserting that national and international governance take precedence over disputes initiated by the justice minister. Nawrocki referenced an earlier case where he answered questions during a two-hour interview before prosecutors dismissed the investigation, though the exact date and location for the new deposition have not yet been determined.

I will certainly invite the prosecutor for an interview, and they will hear from me that I make all decisions personally.