We voted in favor of appointing senator Stanisław Gawłowski to the position of the head of the climate committee because he is an outstanding specialist; We would prefer him not to have any charges, but since he is a senator, he should have all the rights resulting from it, KO senators tell PAP.
Stanisław Gawłowski, the non-attached senator, was elected by the Senate on Wednesday as chairman of the Extraordinary Climate Committee. Gawłowski’s candidacy was supported by 48 senators, against 39. Nobody abstained. Earlier, an extraordinary committee issued a positive recommendation for Gawłowski as a candidate for chairman.
Gawłowski’s election was opposed by PiS senators. As they declared, if Gawłowski, who is charged with corruption, is elected, he will resign from sitting in the special committee.
The club of the Civic Coalition was in favor of the election, although Gawłowski is an independent senator.
In substance, Senator Gawłowski cannot be accused of anything. PiS senators say he has charges, but as long as there is no court verdict, there is a presumption of innocence; secondly, senator Gawłowski received a seat in the elections with these charges, and thirdly, as senator Gawłowski reported, the matter is dragging on and it is not known when it will be decided
– Leszek Czarnobaj, head of the KO Senate club, told PAP.
I do not see any contradiction here, because the committee is not an executive body. If he were to run for the executive, that would be a different matter. But that is a function within the governing body to which he has been elected
– added.
He noted that “if these charges were brought against him yesterday, a month ago or six months ago,” the club would probably abstain.
But the case goes on for the fourth year and is far from over
– added.
In unofficial talks, KO senators admit that they felt some discomfort in supporting Gawłowski.
Of course, it is better not to be charged with politicians
One of the senators told PAP.
He also added that Gawłowski’s case was not clear-cut, and some of the witnesses withdrew from their testimony during the investigation.
In terms of content, Gawłowski is very well prepared like no one in the Senate
The senator added.
This, of course, was not comfortable
– another KO senator tells PAP.
But since Gawłowski is a senator, people chose him when this matter was already known, there is no reason to make a distinction that he can be a senator and he is not the head of the committee. It is illogical. And if he is convicted, he will lose his seat anyway
– he noticed.
PiS senators maintain that they will withdraw from the climate committee.
I have already submitted my resignation, other colleagues will do it too
– Senate deputy speaker Marek Pęk told PAP on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Gawłowski himself assured in an interview with PAP that the accusations against him “this is only a political campaign”.
The doubts of PiS senators stem from the fact that one of the PiS activists who financed the party’s election campaigns, a friend of the Gosiewski family, was caught in 2013 handing a bribe to an important official in Western Pomerania. He admitted he had handed it, the clerk confessed he had been handed it. But the same PiS activist remembered in 2016 that he also knew me. He was probably persuaded by the prosecution and is trying to get a leniency for incriminating me
– Gawłowski told PAP.
The senator does not regret that PiS senators will leave the committee.
I respect everyone, but when I hear voices like some senators, I will say this: if those who spoke like this leave the committee, the substantive value of the committee will only increase
– he assessed.
The task of the Special Committee for Climate is to consider and develop cases related to: climate neutrality, biodiversity, circular economy, industrial strategy for the climate, intelligent and sustainable transport, adaptation to climate change, including protection against floods and droughts.
Gawłowski, doctor of economic sciences, is an independent senator from Koszalin, and at the same time a member of the PO. He was a member of the Sejm of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th terms of office. From November 16, 2007 to June 15, 2015, he was the secretary of state at the Ministry of the Environment. In 2008-2011 he was the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.
Gawłowski is accused of accepting bribes in the amount of PLN 733 thousand. PLN while he was the secretary of state in the Ministry of Environment under the PO-PSL coalition. In addition to real estate in Croatia and cash, these were also to be two luxury watches. He was also supposed to persuade people to pay a bribe to the director of the Department of Melioration. The allegations also concern the so-called money laundering in connection with real estate in Croatia, disclosure of classified information and plagiarism in a doctoral dissertation.
mly / PAP
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