It's necessary to investigate all media reports regarding the smear campaign - said the spokesperson for the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) Maciej Mitera, referring to the scandal revealed by Onet.pl website. He added that all KRS members whose names were mentioned in that context should immediately submit explanations in writing.

At a press conference on Thursday, Mitera presented the official statement by the KRS regarding the smear campaign scandal revealed by Onet.pl website.

The person at the centre of the publication, the deputy justice minister Łukasz Piebiak, resigned on Monday.

The Onet.pl website reported late on Monday that Piebiak was behind a campaign to blackball critical judges including Krystian Markiewicz, a prominent critic of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and head of the judicial association Iustitia.

It published alleged transcripts of conversations between Piebiak and a woman named as Emilia in which they weighed plans to anonymously send material with rumours about Markiewicz's private life to regional branches of Iustitia and to his home.

Emilia, whose surname was not given, acted as an intermediary between the ministry of justice and pro-government media, and posted material online intended to compromise certain judges, according to Onet.pl.

"The KRS Presidium is heavily disturbed by the media revelations regarding the conduct of acting judges, based on inciting or overseeing an organised campaign of insinuations and accusations against fellow-judges," Mitera said.

The spokesman for the KRS underscored that although judges, as public servants, are bound to receive criticism from the society and the media, it is necessary to "strongly protest against such actions that were revealed in recent days".

"Such actions deserve the strongest condemnation as they stain the authority of judges," he stressed.

"In the view of the KRS, it's necessary to examine all media reports, by the investigative authorities and by the judicial disciplinary body. The Presidium expects all KRS members, whose names appeared in the media in the context of this scandal, to submit a written explanation on their involvement in this affair," Mitera said.

Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP