Poland - Lisbon treaty

Poland to sign Lisbon treaty, ministers resign over gambling scandal

Article published on the 2009-10-08 Latest update 2009-10-08 09:11 TU

Polish President Lech Kaczynski
(Photo: Reuters/Philippe Wojazer)

Poland’s president will sign the Lisbon treaty on Sunday. After Irish voters approved it last week, only Poland and the Czech Republic had not completely ratified the new European constitution. President Lech Kaczynski is to sign it Sunday evening, according to a senior official. The announcement comes a day after the Prime Minister announced the resignation of the Interior and Justice Ministers being investigated in a gambling scandal.

"The President will keep to his promises ... He had declared that in the case of a Yes vote in the second Irish referendum his decision would also be positive," said the President’s head of security, Aleksander Szczyglo, on Polish television.

Kaczynski, who has long been sceptical of the European Union, had refused to sign the treaty until after the 2 October Irish vote.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who is also a eurosceptic, was ordered to delay signing the treaty last week by his country's Constitutional Court, until it rules on a complaint filed by Czech senators.

Meanwhile Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Wednesday the resignation of the Interior and Justice Ministers who are implicated in a gambling scandal.

“[Justice Minister] Andrzej Czuma submitted his resignation... to clear any doubts he is involved in this matter,” said Tusk to reporters in Warsaw.

Interior Minister Grzegorz Schetyna submitted his resignation "in order not to give credence" to the allegations, said Tusk.

Poland’s anti-corruption agency has been examining the government over the use of political influence to change gambling legislation, allegedly to help casino owners a requirement to finance sport events.

Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki, who denied corruption claims, stepped down Monday.

Schetyna has been criticised for meeting with a businessman lobbying for changes in the legislation, while Czuma is accused of not taking action against political horse-trading in the legislative process.