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Ryszard Czarnecki

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Ryszard Czarnecki
MEP
Czarnecki in 2023
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 July 2004 – 15 July 2024
ConstituencyLower Silesian and Opole
Member of the Sejm
In office
10 April 1997 – 25 July 2004
In office
25 November 1991 – 31 May 1993
Minister for European Integration
In office
27 July 1998 – 26 March 1999
Prime MinisterJerzy Buzek
Preceded byJan Krzysztof Bielecki (1993)
Succeeded byLech Nikolski (2003)
Personal details
Born
Richard Henry Czarnecki

(1963-01-25) 25 January 1963 (age 61)
London, United Kingdom
Political party Poland:
Law and Justice (2008–present)
Christian National Union (1989–2004)
Self-Defence (2004–2008)
 EU:
European Conservatives and Reformists
SpouseEmilia Czarnecka
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Wrocław
AwardsOrder of Merit (Ukraine)
Signature
Websitewww.ryszardczarnecki.pl

Richard Henry Czarnecki ([ˈrɨʂart ˈxɛnrɨ t͡ʂarˈnɛt͡ski], born 25 January 1963 pol. Ryszard Henryk Czarnecki) is a Polish politician and a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Poland. He is a member of the Law and Justice, part of the European Conservatives and Reformists.

Prior to 2008, he was a member of the Self-Defense party.

He was part of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, and a substitute for the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and a member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of south-east Europe. Former member of the "Group on South Asia", "South Asia Peace Forum" and "Forum for Balochistan" in the European Parliament.

Education

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  • Master of History, University of Wrocław
  • 1987: Archivist, Archiwum Akt Nowych, Warsaw (1986) 'Solidarność' Archives

Career

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  • 1988–1990: journalist with 'The Polish Daily', London
  • editorial secretary
  • 1991: Deputy editor-in-chief 'Wiadomości Dnia'
  • 1991: editor-in-chief 'Dziennik Dolnośląski' (1991), acting director 'NORPOL-PRESS'
  • 1993–1997: Chief Editor for Religious programmes, Polsat TV
  • 2001–2004: Lecturer
  • 1994–1996: Chairman of the Christian-National Union (ZCHN)
  • 2002–2004: Expert 'Self-defence of the Polish Republic'
  • Member in the I and III terms of the Parliament of the Republic of Poland
  • Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media
  • Chairman of the Parliamentary Sub-committee on Copyright
  • Chairman of the Polish-Italian Parliamentary Group
  • 1991–1993: parliamentary representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • Member of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration
  • 1999–2001: Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Liaison with Poles Abroad
  • 2000–2001: Vice-Chairman of the Committee on European Law
  • 1991–2001: representative of the Polish Sejm (parliament) in the Parliamentary Assembly of the West European Union
  • 1993: Deputy Minister of Culture
  • 1997–1999: Minister for European Integration
  • 1997–1998: Head of the Committee on European Integration
  • 1998–1999: Minister – member of the Cabinet

In 2009 European Parliament election he is a candidate of Law and Justice from Kuyavian-Pomeranian constituency.[1]

Confrontations with Róża Thun

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Statement on Róża Thun's full name

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On 26 April 2009 – less than two months before the European elections – Czarnecki wrote a blog entry, describing the "troubles" of Róża Thun, a Polish politician and an Austrian Countess-consort, with the Polish National Electoral Commission.[2] According to Czarnecki, the Civic Platform intended to register her candidacy under the name of Róża Thun,[2] but the Commission refused, stating that according to the regulations, all candidates must appear under their full names on the ballot papers.[2] "And so, the voters will see Róża Maria Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein in her full grace",[2] Czarnecki wrote. He further asserted that "a Gräfin with a German-sounding name might do harm to the Civic Platform".[3][4]

On 20 May 2009, it was revealed that Czarnecki himself would appear on the ballot sheets not under his assumed Polish name of Ryszard Henryk, but as Richard Henry, since he was born in the United Kingdom.[4][5] Czarnecki stated that his situation is different, as he didn't choose his names, while Thun chose her surname by marrying her husband.[5] Countess Thun retorted her name came out of love,[5] adding "I pity Richard Henry Czarnecki".[5]

Comparing Róża Thun to Nazi collaborators and dismissal as vice-president of the European Parliament

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In an interview published on January 3, 2018 in a Polish right-wing portal, Ryszard Czarnecki compared Róża Thun to Nazi collaborators, specifically people called szmalcownik.[6][7] Consequently, at the request of the leaders of four European Parliament factions,[8] on 7 February 2018 by secret ballot he was dismissed from the post of vice-president of the European Parliament for “serious breaches” of the Parliament's Rules (447 MEPs voted for his dismissal, 196 against, and 30 abstained).[9][10][11] This was the first time in the history a vice-president of the European Parliament has been dismissed.[12]

The case was reported in international media.[9][11] Before the vote, Czarnecki urged MEPs to vote against his dismissal, arguing that such a vote would “support freedom of speech”,[11] and in a letter to the president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, he lied that he had not compare Róża Thun to Nazi collaborators.[13] In June 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union dismissed Ryszard Czarnecki's complaint about the dismissal.[14][15]

Róża Thun considered Czarnecki's statement humiliating.[15] She demanded an apology in the media and a payment of 50,000 zloty for the organization Forum for Dialogue (Forum dla Dialogu) and the “Children of the Holocaust” Association (Stowarzyszenie „Dzieci Holocaustu”).[15][16] In August 2019, the District Court in Warsaw ruled that Czarnecki, by comparing Róża Thun to Nazi collaborators, violated her good name, and therefore ordered him to publish an apology to the MEP on the portal that published the original interview, as well as on his own blog, within 14 days from the judgment validation. The court also ordered Czarnecki a payment for the benefit of the two organizations mentioned, of 15 thousand zlotys each. Czarnecki announced an appeal against the sentence.[16] In September 2020, the Court of Appeal in Warsaw upheld the judgment of the first instance court,[17] ordering Czarnecki to apologize for an “inappropriate and deeply hurtful” comparison, which was unlawful, and to pay the sum ordered in the first instance for the benefit of the two organizations. The court indicated that the defendant exceeded the limits of acceptable criticism and abused the freedom of speech.[18]

Involvement in C.H. scandal

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In September 2024, Czarnecki and his wife Emilia Hermaszewska were suspected of corruption, allegedly receiving 92,000 Złoty ($23,000) from Collegium Humanum – Warsaw Management University via fake employment of Hermaszewska at C.H. in return for using his political influence to help the university open branches abroad, particularly in Uzbekistan.[19] Czarnecki was a professor honoris causa of C.H.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ www.pe2009.pkw.gov.pl Archived 2009-05-10 at the Wayback Machine. Accessdate on 2009-05-11.
  2. ^ a b c d Ryszard Czarnecki (26 April 2009). "Grafini von Hohenstein, czyli problem PO z PKW" [Gräfin von Hohenstein, or PO (Civic Platform) trouble with the PKW (National Electoral Commission)]. Ryszard Czarnecki's blog (in Polish). Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Róża Thun w wyborach austriacką grafinią" [Róża Thun as an Austrian Grafin in the elections]. Dziennik (in Polish). 26 April 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Ryszard Czarnecki niejedno ma imię" [Ryszard Czarnecki of many names]. Interia.pl (in Polish). 20 May 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d Grabek, Artur (20 May 2009). "Thun: Żal mi Richarda Henry Czarneckiego" [Thun: I pity Richard Henry Czarnecki]. Dziennik (in Polish).
  6. ^ ""Podczas wojny mieliśmy szmalcowników, dziś mamy Różę Thun". Wiceprzewodniczący PE o antypolskim filmie" (in Polish). niezalezna.pl. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Ryszard Czarnecki odpowie za "szmalcowników"? Róża Thun rozważa kroki prawne wobec niego" (in Polish). krakow.wyborcza.pl. 7 January 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Ryszard Czarnecki odwołany. Pierwszy taki przypadek w historii Parlamentu Europejskiego" (in Polish). gazeta.pl. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  9. ^ a b "European Parliament dismisses its Polish vice president". ABC News. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Europarlament odwołał Czarneckiego" (in Polish). tvn24.pl. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  11. ^ a b c Prończuk, Monika (7 February 2018). "Czarnecki odwołany za porównanie Róży Thun do szmalcowników. "Walczyłem o wolność słowa" – tłumaczy". OKO.press. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  12. ^ Słojewska, Anna (8 February 2018). "Odwołany za szmalcowników". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish): A7.
  13. ^ Pacewicz, Krzysztof (22 January 2018). ""Nie użyłem wobec Róży Thun słowa szmalcownik". Europoseł PiS Czarnecki oszukuje szefa europarlamentu" (in Polish). OKO.press. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  14. ^ "TSUE uznał skargę Ryszarda Czarneckiego za bezzasadną" (in Polish). euractiv.pl. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  15. ^ a b c Jałoszewski, Mariusz (6 August 2019). "Róża Thun żąda w sądzie przeprosin od Ryszarda Czarneckiego za "szmalcowników"". OKO.press. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  16. ^ a b Bounaoui, Sara (9 August 2019). "Wyrok ws. Czarnecki-Thun. Poseł musi przeprosić za "szmalcowników"" (in Polish). rmf24.pl. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Treść orzeczenia V ACa 61/20 - wyrok z uzasadnieniem Sąd Apelacyjny w Warszawie z 2020-09-29" (in Polish). orzeczenia.waw.sa.gov.pl. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  18. ^ Jałoszewski, Mariusz (29 September 2020). "Ryszard Czarnecki z PiS przegrał proces z Różą Thun. Ma ją przeprosić za porównanie do szmalcowników" (in Polish). OKO.press. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Ex-European lawmaker and wife charged with influence peddling and corruption in Poland". Associated Press. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Ryszard Czarnecki i jego żona zatrzymani przez CBA". www.pap.pl. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
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