12 December 2025
On 12 December 2025, an international scientific conference entitled “Accountability of Constitutional State Organs in the Context of a Rule of Law Crisis. View of Young Researchers” was held at the Polish Constitutional Tribunal. The conference was organized as a dissemination event within the framework of the Polish-Hungarian Professors’ Network project, coordinated by the Central European Academy (dissemination event coordinators: Dr Bartłomiej Oręziak and Dr Grzegorz Ocieczek).
The meeting had an expert and academic character, while at the same time being aimed at the broad dissemination of the results of international cooperation and at strengthening the network of contacts among researchers from Poland and Hungary, as well as from other Central European countries.
The conference brought together representatives of academic communities, legal practitioners, PhD candidates, and students, which enabled a multi-voiced debate on current constitutional dilemmas, particularly in the area of accountability of state authorities, the relationship between the judiciary and the executive branch, and the institutional tensions accompanying discussions on the rule of law.
The event was conducted in a format allowing both in-person and remote participation, and the online broadcast ensured wide accessibility and increased the outreach of the conference. The recording of the event was made publicly available on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/ijibeOVTCnA
Context and Objectives of the Event
The conference was planned as a space for in-depth reflection on the functioning of constitutional state organs in situations of disputes concerning the interpretation of the principles of the rule of law, as well as in conditions of declining public trust in institutions. In this sense, the event responded to real needs of both public and academic debate, while maintaining the scholarly character of the discussion.
A particular value of the conference was the opportunity to juxtapose different perspectives: on the one hand, contributions from experienced experts and legal practitioners, and on the other, presentations by young researchers who brought fresh methodological approaches and new research questions into the debate.
The event also served to strengthen institutional and academic cooperation within the framework of the Polish-Hungarian Professors’ Network, by promoting the exchange of ideas, developing a shared analytical language, and building inter-university and international relationships.
The conference fulfilled its dissemination objectives through the public nature of the presentations, openness to participants beyond the narrow circle of the project, as well as through the permanent availability of the video recording, which enhances the long-term dissemination impact of the event.
Course of the Conference and Main Programme Elements
The event began in the morning with the registration of participants, followed by the official inauguration of the conference. The opening remarks were delivered by Professor Marcin Wielec and Professor János Ede Szilágyi, who emphasized the importance of substantive, argument-based academic exchange in an area that is often the subject of strong political tensions. In their introductory statements, it was stressed that the accountability of constitutional organs is not merely a theoretical concept, but rather an element of state practice and the foundation of mechanisms for controlling public power. Attention was drawn to the need to understand the rule of law not only as a slogan, but as a set of concrete standards, including legality of action, predictability of law, transparency of decision-making processes, and respect for the constitutional separation of powers.
Subsequently, a speech was delivered by Bogdan Święczkowski, President of the Constitutional Tribunal, who focused on the significance of constitutional adjudication and the role of institutions safeguarding the constitution in situations of interpretative disputes and competence conflicts. In this context, the relationship between constitutional protection and the social and political expectations placed upon public institutions was discussed, as well as the importance of stability and continuity of the legal order. This address set the framework for further debates, indicating the need to view the issue of accountability of state organs in a comprehensive manner, encompassing both legal instruments and institutional practice.
The next part of the programme consisted of an expert panel moderated by Professor Marcin Wielec. During this segment, a series of presentations were delivered that analyzed, from various perspectives, the issues of the rule of law crisis and the accountability of public authority. Dr Michał Sopiński referred to the concept of the so-called restoration of the rule of law in Poland, pointing to the multidimensional nature of the processes taking place within the legal system and their consequences for institutional stability. Andrzej Golec addressed the relationship between the supremacy of the constitution and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, presenting a pro-constitutional analysis and raising questions about the limits of the primacy of EU law, the constitutional identity of the state, and methods of resolving normative conflicts.
Dr Grzegorz Ocieczek focused on threats arising from violations of the rule of law principles in the functioning of the National Prosecutor’s Office, discussing systemic risks and consequences for procedural standards. Dr Paweł Opitek examined the phenomenon of mass collection of crime-related data by public authorities, relating it to the protection of civil rights and freedoms as well as the requirements of proportionality. Dr Oskar Kida presented an analysis of the obligation to publish judgments of the Constitutional Tribunal and its impact on legal certainty, institutional transparency, and the effectiveness of constitutional review.
The expert panel concluded with a presentation by Michał Ostrowski, a PhD candidate at the University of Wrocław, which in an insightful manner combined issues of budgetary law with constitutional theory, demonstrating how budgetary mechanisms may influence the restructuring of the constitutional order and the actual distribution of competences within the state.
After the break, the conference continued with a doctoral panel moderated by Professor János Ede Szilágyi. This part of the event particularly clearly fulfilled the objective of promoting young scholars and strengthening their presence in international academic debate. Weronika Pietras presented a comparative analysis of the standards of accountability of public officials in Poland and Hungary, juxtaposing constitutional duties with the premises of criminal liability and indicating differences in normative and institutional approaches. Bojan Petrovski addressed the issue of accountability within the structures of the European Union, considering whether the EU truly strengthens accountability at the level of Member States and, at the same time, whether EU institutions themselves meet the requirements of democratic responsibility. Matteo Vrban explored the paradox of the rule of law, focusing on the risk of instrumentalizing legal principles in political disputes and on how the social function of legal arguments is changing. Zsófia Erzsébet Szabó discussed current trends and challenges in the protection of national sovereignty, which constituted an important complement to the debate on the relationship between domestic and European law and on the role of state mechanisms safeguarding constitutional identity.
An important element of the event, supporting both dissemination and the building of cooperation networks, was the programme break combined with the opportunity for sightseeing and informal discussions. This less formal dimension of the conference enabled direct contacts among participants, the exchange of experiences, and the establishment of relationships that may translate into further research initiatives, publications, and joint projects. In practice, dissemination activities are not limited to the transfer of substantive content, but also include creating conditions for long-term cooperation, and the conference fulfilled this function in a noticeable manner.
In the subsequent part of the programme, a student panel was held, moderated by Dr Katarzyna Zombory and Dr Grzegorz Ocieczek. The presentations addressed key issues of contemporary constitutional and criminal law. Szymon Bizior discussed the right to a fair criminal trial, emphasizing its importance within the system of constitutional guarantees. Mateusz Kazanowski examined doctrinal divergences concerning the definition of constitutional state organs, which affects both the practical application of norms and institutional accountability. Tomasz Bojanowski addressed the issue of the constitutional liability of the Prosecutor General under the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of Poland, analyzing the premises, mechanisms, and potential difficulties in applying accountability instruments. This panel confirmed the high substantive quality of the presentations and demonstrated that young researchers are able to address issues of both theoretical and practical significance in a mature and critical manner.
The conference concluded with closing remarks delivered by Professor Marcin Wielec and Professor János Ede Szilágyi. It was noted that the accountability of constitutional organs remains one of the key problems determining the functioning of democracy, and that the debate on the rule of law requires precise language, respect for legal argumentation, and readiness for dialogue beyond divisions. It was also emphasized that initiatives such as the Polish-Hungarian Professors’ Network are necessary, as they build lasting channels of cooperation and allow views to be confronted in an academic rather than merely journalistic framework.
Dissemination Significance and Outcomes
The event had a clear dissemination dimension through its wide accessibility, the international composition of speakers, and the public nature of the discussions. A particular value lies in the permanent availability of the video recording, which makes it possible to reach audiences even after the conference has ended, enables the material to be used in academic teaching, and provides a point of reference for further debates.
The conference strengthened the visibility of the project and confirmed the potential of Polish-Hungarian cooperation in the field of research on constitutional law, public accountability, and rule of law standards. By combining an expert panel with sessions dedicated to young researchers, it was possible to build a multi-level message in which, on the one hand, in-depth institutional analyses were presented, and on the other, the academic development and exposure of the younger generation of scholars was supported.
It is also worth emphasizing the international dimension of the event, visible both in the topics relating to domestic and European legal orders and in the comparative approach to issues of constitutional accountability. The conference enhanced participants’ competences in understanding the complex relationships between national and European law, the role of constitutional courts, prosecutorial accountability, and the standards of protection of individual rights. From a project perspective, the event contributed to achieving objectives related to building a cooperative academic environment, promoting high-quality research, and disseminating knowledge about the mechanisms of the rule of law.
