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Jaroslaw Kaczynski

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Poland’s parliament has been blocked by protesters in support for opposition lawmakers unhappy about new rules restricting press reporting.

The opposition objects to government plans to limit the number of journalists allowed to cover parliamentary proceedings.

The lawmakers’ protest delayed a budget vote, which was later held away from the main parliament chamber.

Hundreds of police surrounded protesters in a late-night stand-off.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS), earlier denounced the protest as “hooliganism”.

“We will not allow ourselves to be terrorized,” he said.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski left parliament with the PiS PM Beata Szydlo at about 03:00AM local time.

Opposition lawmaker Jerzy Meysztowicz told the TVN24 news channel that police used tear gas to clear a passage through protesters for their official vehicle.

The opposition accused the government of passing 2017 budget unlawfully on December 16 by transferring the key vote to a smaller hall and excluding the press.

It was the first since the restoration of democracy in 1989 that such a vote was held outside the main chamber of parliament.

Image source Getty Images

Image source Getty Images

Enough lawmakers were present for the budget vote to be valid, according to Jaroslaw Kaczynski and other PiS members, but the opposition demanded a rerun of the vote in the main parliament chamber next week.

“There is no proof that a quorum of lawmakers was present. We suspect that people who were not allowed to vote took part,” said leader of the opposition Nowoczesna party Ryszard Petru.

The ruling party has been accused of restricting press freedom since coming to power in 2015.

In 2017 only a few reporters will be allowed into parliament.

Only five selected Polish TV stations will be permitted to make recordings of parliamentary sessions.

The government argues that it does not believe the measures are restrictive.

Supporters of the move argue it will stop lawmakers from being accosted by journalists inside the parliamentary building.

Last night’s demonstration began when an opposition lawmaker held aloft a placard reading “free media”.

He was told by Speaker Marek Kuchcinski, who is a PiS member, that he would no longer be allowed to attend parliamentary proceedings.

However, by then other opposition lawmakers converged on the podium to demand press freedom and an end to censorship.

It is believed to be the first protest of its kind in the Polish parliament for 10 years.

The proposed new rules – due to be enforced in 2017 – ban all recording of parliamentary sessions except by the five selected television stations. They also restrict the number of reporters permitted to enter the building.

Human rights campaigners have also condemned the plans, with former dissident Seweryn Blumsztajn condemning them as a “return to communist-era practices”.

Poland’s Law and Justice party has secured a decisive win in the country’s parliamentary elections.

According to exit polls, the conservative opposition party has enough seats to govern alone, with an anticipated 39% of the vote.

Law and Justice’s eurosceptic leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has claimed victory, and the outgoing PM Ewa Kopacz of the centrist Civic Platform party, has admitted defeat.

Law and Justice party has strong support in Poland’s rural areas.

If the numbers suggested by the exit poll are confirmed, it will be the first time since democracy was restored in Poland in 1989 that a single party has won enough seats to govern alone.

Photo Reuters

Photo Reuters

“We will exert law but there will be no taking of revenge. There will be no squaring of personal accounts,” said Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

“There will be no kicking of those who have fallen through their own fault and very rightly so.”

Europe’s refugee crisis also proved to be a key topic of debate before the election. While the government has agreed to take in 7,000 refugees, opposition parties have spoken out against the move.

Last week, Jaroslaw Kaczynski was criticized for suggesting refugees could bring diseases and parasites to Poland.

The 66-year-old is not running as prime minister and has instead nominated Beata Szydlo, a relative unknown, as the party’s choice for the post.

However, some observers said Jaroslaw Kaczynski could take on the top job himself in the months to come.

The Law and Justice party is close to Poland’s powerful Roman Catholic Church and has promised increased benefits and tax breaks.

Civic Platform for its part sought closer ties with the EU.

Despite overseeing eight years of impressive economic growth it was beaten into second place and will become the main opposition party.

Only three other parties are projected to win enough votes to get seats in parliament: the Polish Peasants’ Party, and two new groups, a right-wing party led by rock star Pawel Kukiz and Modern Poland, a pro-business party.

Poles are voting in the country’s parliamentary elections, with the conservatives hoping to return to power after eight years in opposition.

Opinion polls in run-up to the election put the Law and Justice party, led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski well ahead of Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz’s Civic Platform party.

Law and Justice party regained the presidency in May when Andrzej Duda won the poll.

The party is most strongly supported in rural areas and by those who close to Poland’s powerful Roman Catholic Church.

Civic Platform has been hit by disrepute, with a number of ministers caught up in an eavesdropping scandal last year.

On October 23, Deputy Justice Minister Monika Zbrojewska was fired after being charged with DUI.Poland elections 2015

Europe’s refugee crisis also proved to be a key topic of debate before the election. While the government has agreed to take in 7,000 refugees, opposition parties have spoken out against the move.

Last week, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, 66, was criticized for suggesting refugees could bring diseases and parasites to Poland.

He is not running as prime minister, and has instead nominated Beata Szydlo, a relative unknown, as the party’s choice for the post.

However, some observers think Jaroslaw Kaczynski will take on the top job himself, if Law and Justice scores a convincing victory.

The result of the election is likely to be closely followed among Eurosceptic nations.

While Civic Platform sought close ties with the EU, one Law and Justice party member told Reuters they were keen for “a less bureaucratic, more cost-effective EU that does not seek deeper political integration”.