Poland's top court rules central bank head cannot be questioned in parliament

Poland's top court rules central bank head cannot be questioned in parliament

Lawmakers should not be allowed to question Poland's central bank chief, a top court ruled on Tuesday, setting up a fresh clash between the government and judges it says are political appointees of the previous administration.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk's pro-European coalition has vowed to restore democratic standards critics say were eroded during eight years of nationalist rule which ended in December.

However, allies of the previous government in positions of power have put up resistance that has slowed down the coalition's efforts, frustrated its supporters and raised question marks over whether it can achieve its goals.

The constitutional responsibility committee in parliament is due to start analysing a motion to put central bank governor Adam Glapinski before a state tribunal in September, and it wants to interrogate him.

Glapinski faces accusations including lacking independence from the previous government, breaking rules that bar the central bank from financing government borrowing, and misleading the finance ministry about the bank's financial results.

Glapinski has dismissed the allegations as "baseless".

The Law and Justice (PiS) lawmakers who brought the case heard by the Constitutional Tribunal on Tuesday argue that the fact that the motion to bring Glapinski to court is to be heard by a parliamentary committee - a political body - was against constitutional guarantees of central bank independence.

The Tribunal shared their opinion.

"Subjecting the central bank to parliamentary control would constitute a violation of the central bank's independence," raporteur Krystyna Pawlowicz said, adding the same rules should apply to the heads of the Supreme Audit Office or the Broadcasting Council.

Tusk's government says the Constitutional Tribunal itself became politicised under PiS and needs to be reformed, and that that verdicts issued by the court lack legitimacy. The prime minister's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment.