Since 3 February the Board of the Association Initiative 33 and the members of the editorial staff of the magazine “Kontrateksty” have been collecting signatures under an appeal to the governing bodies for moderation and caution in making political changes and amendments to legal regulations. The appeal results from the concern caused by the policy performed by the authorities chosen during the fall parliamentary and presidential elections. (10-FEB-06)
To the President of the Republic of Poland, representatives of the Sejm and Senate, members of the Government, leaders of political parties
We, the undersigned, appeal to the Governing Body for moderation and caution in making political changes and amendments to legal regulations.
Such institutions and solutions, as:
· apolitical public media,
· a politically impartial Ombudsman,
· an independent court (including the Constitutional Tribunal),
· the Monetary Policy Council, independent of the government,
· the separation of the posts of Minister of Justice and General Prosecutor, and therefore the lack of political subordination of the public prosecutor’s office,
· Civil Servants appointed by way of a fair and legitimate contest,
· Freedom of assembly and association and the citizens’ right to criticise the authorities,
constitute a mechanism of protecting the democratic and law-abiding state against the abuse by the authorities. We emphasise that this concerns not only abuse by the members of the currently governing authorities, but also those holding power in the future.
The elimination and restriction of the abovementioned legal and political solutions may in the future threaten democracy, law and order, and even Poland’s independence.
The collection of signatures will probably continue until 13 February.
