Tusk criticises delay in Adamowicz killer trial
Donald Tusk, the leader of the European People's Party in the European Parliament and a former Polish prime minister, has criticised delays in the trial of the man accused of murdering the mayor of Gdańsk Paweł Adamowicz.
The mayor was stabbed during a charity concert in Gdańsk on January 13, 2019, and died later from his wounds. His apparent attacker, known only as Stefan W due to reporting restrictions, was arrested at the scene of the crime.
The attack, captured live on television, stunned Poland, and prompted accusations from opposition politicians that the alleged incendiary language of some of the country’s leaders and pro-government media may have influenced the murderer.
Tusk wrote on Twitter that although two years have passed since the incident, Stefan W's trial has not yet been started. Tusk added that neither have any steps been taken against the "political patrons" of a hate campaign against the late Gdańsk mayor in the Polish public media.
"Two years have gone by since the tragic assassination of Paweł Adamowicz, and his killer has not even been put on trial; also scot free are the organisers of the hate campaign (and - PAP) their political patrons, and hate continues to spill out from the public media. We shall not forget about the victim nor the perpetrators," Tusk wrote.
On Tuesday, a press conference devoted to the Adamowicz assassination was held at a memorial plaque to the late Gdańsk mayor. The conference issued an appeal for speedier investigation into the incident, which was signed, among others, by politicians, local politicians, artists and journalists.
