Skarga nadzwyczajna — dopełniający czy konkurencyjny wobec skargi konstytucyjnej instrument ochrony konstytucyjnych wolności i praw jednostki

On 3 April 2018, a new law on the Supreme Court went into force, introducing a new institution — an extraordinary complaint. According to the intention of its authors, the construction of extraordinary complaint emphasises the need for the courts to respect constitutional principles and constitutionally protected freedoms, as well as human and civil rights. Not referring here to the aims, needs and anticipated effects of the functioning of this instrument in the legal system of Poland — taking into account the shape of the extraordinary complaint adopted by the legislator — it should be regarded as complementing the constitutional complaint (at least in the field of civil and criminal law) and an instrument to increase the effectiveness of protection of constitutional freedoms and individual rights. It is necessary to wait for the assessment of the introduction of this measure into the Polish legal system. At the same time, one cannot lose sight of fears and doubts raised against this instrument in the course of legislative procedure. However, if the extraordinary complaint supplements the constitutional complaint in those areas where the latter — due to its legal or practical limitations — is not effective, introduction of the same or similar institution into administrative proceedings shall be considered.