Poland in the Council of Europe

Appearing during the session entitled "Citizens' involvement in democratic renewal", the Minister of Justice stated that the government's priority is to strengthen civil society, which is the foundation of democracy and the rule of law.

The representative of the Polish government argued that citizens' participation in public life means not only monitoring the activities of the authorities, but also co-creating policy and law. A key element of the democratic decision-making process and the development of civil society are public consultations conducted with the participation of civil society organizations. Such action promotes the optimization of legal solutions and increases trust in democratic institutions. An example of cooperation between the Polish government and third sector organizations in the law-making process is, among others, establishment of the office of Minister for Civil Society.

One of the main tasks of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025 will be to strengthen the role of civil society and use its potential in protecting the rule of law. The Presidency will focus on including citizens in the legislative process and on increasing the legal security of Union citizens in cross-border situations, said Minister Bodnar. A conference will be held in April 2025 entitled: "The role of civil society in protecting the rule of law."

The goal of the Polish government is to build a Europe in which human rights, democracy and the rule of law are truly protected.

On the sidelines of the World Democracy Forum, Minister Bodnar also met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Andreas Kravik, whom he thanked for the cooperation and support that the Kingdom of Norway provides to Poland as part of Norwegian funds, used, among others, in the justice system.