Poland's Tusk defends court intervention, says democracy must be strong

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly defended his government's intervention in the Constitutional Tribunal crisis, accusing the opposition of undermining democracy and the rule of law for years. He stated a democratic state must be strong to counter such threats. Tusk said his government aims to restore the Tribunal's independence after alleged political influence under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government. He compared criticism of his actions to a thief claiming victimhood when police recover stolen goods. The crisis escalated after an attempt to suspend Tribunal head Bogdan Swieczkowski, which the court called a "coup." Protests in Warsaw led to three arrests, with President Karol Nawrocki and PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński among demonstrators.