Tusk said his parliamentary majority had repeatedly attempted to reform the Tribunal, but its proposals were blocked by PiS and the presidency. After waiting for previous judges' terms to expire, the Sejm elected replacements who took their oaths, which Nawrocki refused to receive. According to Tusk, Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski subsequently prevented the newly elected judges from assuming their duties.
Tusk said the judges eventually decided to proceed without waiting for Święczkowski's approval.
"Legally elected members of the Tribunal were attacked, and the police on site protected the Tribunal from the attackers."
He compared the confrontation to a thief accusing others of violence for attempting to recover stolen property, rejecting compromise over what he considers a matter of constitutional legality.
"In a state governed by the rule of law, a politician cannot enter the premises of a court or tribunal and give orders or intimidate judges, even if he is the president."
Tusk also accused unnamed political organizations and politicians of seeking to destroy Polish democracy, claiming they enjoyed support from pro-Russian forces, an army of Russian bots online, and public praise from a leading Kremlin ideologue.
Concluding his address, Tusk insisted the Constitutional Tribunal would function independently, including from himself, and in accordance with the Constitution.
"The task of the executive branch, and therefore mine, is to ensure its security and the conditions necessary for its work, and I intend to fulfill that duty."
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