“This case is not over yet, and that is all I can say” President Lech Kaczyński commented shortly Constitutional Tribunal’s verdict on the new act on vetting of former secret service collaborators in Communist times.

The government indicated before the verdict that if it went against them they will open up the files of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) to the public. This idea has quickly gained support from across the political spectrum.

The Tribunal questioned some of the regulations of the vetting law, among others, publishing agents catalogues by the Institute of National Remembrance as well as vetting of journalists and workers of non-public schools.

The tribunal also ruled that proof of collaboration with communist authorities must include, not only evidence that the subject agreed to collaborate – as it is in the present law – but that there must be evidence of actual collaboration.

“I am aware of the fact that in Poland vetting meets extraordinarily strong resistance. I have no doubts as to the reasons for that,” the President said.

Lech Kaczyński confirmed his earlier declaration that if the Tribunal announces that the vetting law was not in compliance with the supreme law, there will be no other choice than to open all the relevant files in the IPN’s archives.

Law and Justice’s MP Zbigniew Girzyński was not surprised by the verdict.

“Many judges, even before enacting the law, signalled in various ways that it would be unconstitutional,” he sais. Girzyński pointed out that some of the judges compared the vetting procedure itself ‘to the Nuremberg Laws’ after WW II.

Girzyński maintained that the Lustration act was a good one, which could have solved the vetting procedure in Poland.

The MP announced also that the government would press ahead with lustration. “It is not that we started vetting. We finally want it to finish,” Girzyński explained.

A majority of both ruling coalition and opposition politicians share the opinion that since the Tribunal ruled against the vetting law, the only solution would be to reveal all relevant IPN files.

“I believe that next week we will present a project a new act that would open the archives. Parliamentary Speaker Dorn will be responsible for co-coordinating the work,” said a representative of the Law and Justice authorities. (jm)