The confrontation at parliament

On Wednesday, Telewizja Polska reporter Justyna Dobrosz-Oracz approached Confederation member of parliament Konrad Berkowicz outside the Sejm building. Dobrosz-Oracz asked the parliamentarian whether he had served in the military. Berkowicz initially replied that he did not have time to talk because voting in the chamber was starting. When pressed further for an answer, the lawmaker directed an insult at the reporter.

“Besides, I talk to journalists, not courtesans.”

Dobrosz-Oracz responded immediately, informing Berkowicz that he had insulted her and that she would file a lawsuit against him. The recorded exchange was broadcast later that day during the current affairs program Bez trybu on TVP Info. During the broadcast, the journalist stated that Berkowicz had crossed an impassable boundary in relations with reporters, adding that he appeared to have chosen the word as a substitute for a cruder vulgarity. Following the television broadcast, Berkowicz posted a message on social media platform X in which he wrote that he apologised to all courtesans.

Broadcaster response and legal proceedings

Telewizja Polska issued an official declaration condemning Berkowicz's conduct and pledged full institutional backing for Dobrosz-Oracz in her legal action. The public broadcaster declared that parliamentary immunity does not exempt representatives from personal culture or grant permission to humiliate others.

The broadcaster stated that Berkowicz turned to misogynistic insults after failing to provide substantive answers to legitimate journalistic inquiries outside parliament.

“It is hard to find a more telling example of a situation where a lack of arguments is covered by boorishness, and helplessness by a sexist insult.”

The network added that while lawmakers retain the right to decline answering media questions, they cannot expect institutional respect while displaying blatant contempt toward other individuals. Dobrosz-Oracz confirmed her intention to take the matter to court, backed by legal resources from TVP.

Ethics Committee referral and coalition backlash

Members of Poland's governing coalition condemned the remarks and initiated formal disciplinary measures against the Confederation lawmaker. Civic Coalition lawmakers Paweł Bliźniuk and M. Tomczykiewicz announced that they are submitting a formal motion to the Parliamentary Ethics Committee seeking penalties against Berkowicz for his conduct. Several cabinet members condemned the remarks across social media platforms. Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka and Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński described Berkowicz's behaviour as boorish, with Kierwiński linking the incident to earlier controversial remarks by Confederation leadership concerning female police officers.

Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk referenced an incident from 2025 in which Berkowicz was stopped after leaving a store without paying for items including a frying pan, remarking that culture cannot be stolen. Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister Jan Grabiec challenged Confederation leadership over their handling of the lawmaker, questioning whether party executives were capable of disciplining him.

Reactions within Confederation

Responses within the Confederation party reflected an attempt to downplay the controversy while partially acknowledging the inappropriate nature of the language. Party co-leader Sławomir Mentzen attacked Dobrosz-Oracz directly on social media, calling her a propagandist who harms public debate, while conceding that his party colleague had crossed acceptable lines.

“Dobrosz-Oracz is of course a disgusting propagandist, I think the worst of her, I believe she harms public debate and should in no way be taken seriously. But Konrad Berkowicz obviously went too far, these words should never have been said.”

Mentzen attempted to shift focus away from the confrontation by arguing that the upcoming parliamentary debate on the state budget represented a far more critical issue than personal insults. Fellow Confederation MP Krzysztof Tuduj, speaking on Radio Wrocław, stated that Berkowicz's remark failed to meet standards of culture and was unnecessary, though he defended wider party discussions concerning female recruitment into the police force.