Tusk Waives Immunity in Defamation Case

According to the PAP news agency, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has voluntarily waived his parliamentary immunity. Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka said the prime minister had already submitted the relevant request to the Speaker of the Sejm. Tusk is responding to a defamation lawsuit filed by the Institute for a Sovereign Poland, an organization linked to former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro.

The dispute began after Tusk said in April, citing intelligence sources, that the institute's foundation had received a donation of about €105,000 ($120,000) from the head of the cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto at the end of 2025. He also alleged that a company affiliated with the exchange transferred a further €70,000 ($80,000) to a foundation associated with MP Przemyslaw Wipler.

Piotr Cieplucha, a representative of the institute, denied the allegations and accused the prime minister of using them to divert attention from his government's handling of the Zondacrypto case.

Szłapka said Tusk had waived his immunity because he was confident the facts surrounding the funding would support his position and that he was not afraid to defend it in court.

Coalition lawmaker Krzysztof Brejza also welcomed the decision, saying the prime minister had shown political responsibility and courage, unlike opposition politicians from the Law and Justice (PiS) party, whom he accused of avoiding accountability.

The request to waive Tusk's immunity will now be considered by the relevant parliamentary committee.

(max)