In December 2016, the President of the Republic of Poland applied to the Constitutional Tribunal for the constitutional review of the Act of 13th December 2016 on Amendments to the Act – Law on Assemblies. The Amending Act introduced the concept of “cyclical assemblies,” defined as assemblies organized on an annual basis within last three years or at least four times a year. When this Act entered into force, there was only one kind of assembly that met the requirements pertaining to cyclical assemblies: the monthly assemblies held to commemorate the victims of the Smolensk plane crash (the so-called Smolensk monthlies). In respect of the Amending Act, the President formulated three objections, two of which have finally been examined by the CT on their merits, while proceedings concerning the third one were discontinued. The CT has ruled that the Amending Act granting privileges to cyclical assemblies are in conformity with the Constitution. The author of the commentary expressed critical assessment, both in terms of how the CT resolved each of the three objections and in terms of the reasons for these decisions. Determination of the legal consequences of the commented judgment is difficult as the panel that issued the judgment consisted of unauthorised persons, appointed to fill positions of judges of the CT that had been filled by the Sejm in the previous term.

In December 2016, the President of the Republic of Poland applied to the Constitutional Tribunal for the constitutional review of the Act of 13th December 2016 on Amendments to the Act – Law on Assemblies. The Amending Act introduced the concept of “cyclical assemblies,” defined as assemblies organized on an annual basis within last three years or at least four times a year. When this Act entered into force, there was only one kind of assembly that met the requirements pertaining to cyclical assemblies: the monthly assemblies held to commemorate the victims of the Smolensk plane crash (the so-called Smolensk monthlies). In respect of the Amending Act, the President formulated three objections, two of which have finally been examined by the CT on their merits, while proceedings concerning the third one were discontinued. The CT has ruled that the Amending Act granting privileges to cyclical assemblies are in conformity with the Constitution. The author of the commentary expressed critical assessment, both in terms of how the CT resolved each of the three objections and in terms of the reasons for these decisions. Determination of the legal consequences of the commented judgment is difficult as the panel that issued the judgment consisted of unauthorised persons, appointed to fill positions of judges of the CT that had been filled by the Sejm in the previous term.