The opinion refers to the legal problem of admissibility of holding remote Sejm sittings. Due to the epidemics of SAR-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-2 disease, the Standing Orders of the Sejm have been amended so as to enable holding Sejm, committee and subcommittee sittings with the use of electronic means of distance communication (Part IIIa of the Standing Orders of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland). New provisions are based on the so-called parallel modes model, which means that Deputies are free to make a choice to participate in the sittings in the debate hall or remotely. Deputies participating in the sitting in the debate hall and De- puties participating remotely have equal rights, particularly as regards taking the oor, submit- ting formal motions and voting. The model of the Sejm’s works included in the Constitution does not preclude such a formula of holding sittings. The requirement of Deputies’ “presence” during voting is ful lled not only in case of their physical presence, but also in case of voting via electronic means of distance communication.
In the legal opinion, the problem of compatibility of the introduction of regulations for holding sittings of the Sejm, committees or subcommittees with the use of electronic means of communication that enable remote communication, with the Constitution of 2 April 1997 was addressed.
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