Former ruling coalition party creates own parliamentary group

The leader of the Agreement (Porozumienie) party, which left Poland's ruling United Right coalition on Wednesday, announced the formation of the party's own parliamentary group on Thursday.

Jaroslaw Gowin said of the move: "From today, Agreement is going on its own path. There are fewer of us but we know what unites us and thanks to that we are stronger."

Agreement's leadership decided on Wednesday to leave the United Right, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, in response to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki dismissing Gowin from the posts of deputy prime minister and minister of development, labour and technology. Several deputy minister of the Agreement party also resigned in solidarity with Gowin.

"We will keep faith with the values of the United Right, we have the feeling that we are keeping the faith of voters who bestowed their trust in us, however at the same time, since the beginning of this term, situations have arisen in which PiS has tried to force measures harmful for Poland and Poles," Gowin continued.

Among those measures, the Agreement leader listed an attempt to veto the EU budget, a media tax and a controversial media bill passed by parliament on Wednesday, which Gowin described as contrary to the principles of free speech and causing conflict with the USA.

"We want a Poland proud of itself, a wealthy Poland, a Poland respecting the internal pluralism of our society, a Poland that matters and is respected by everyone in the world," Gowin stated.

"We are open to cooperation with all centre-right circles," he added.