Ex-minister behind bars

EX-MINISTER BEHIND BARS Many politicians of today’s opposition view the arrest and detention of a former member of the government of the Civic Platform-Polish People’s Party (PO-PSL) coalition as the beginning of a “witchhunt” that the ruling United Right intends to unleash. But prosecutors assure that they have proof of the former official’s criminal activity.

Sławomir Nowak, former minister of transportation in Donald Tusk’s government (2011- -2013), was arrested on July 22. Public prosecutors accuse him of taking bribes during his work as president of the State Road Agency of Ukraine (Ukravtodor).

Jacek P., who was also detained, was a Polish shareholder of one of Nowak’s companies. The third arrested person was Dariusz Z., former commander of the Polish elite com mando force GROM. They have been accused of participation in an organized criminal group, money laundering and accepting financial benefits.

NOWAK ALLEGEDLY MADE THE AWARDING OF CONTRACTS FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE DEPENDENT ON PAYMENTS TO COMPANIES HE DESIGNATED: ONE IN CYPRUS AND ANOTHER IN POLAND. HE IS ALSO ACCUSED OF MONEY LAUNDERING.

Nowak and Jacek P. were arrested for three months. Dariusz Z. was placed under conditional arrest; if he paid 1 million zlotys, he would be released. So far, he has not paid the bail.

The investigation in the case is being conducted simulta neously by Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) and the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw as well as the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in Kiev and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. It began in January 2019 in Poland, and in Ukraine was launched in November 2019. Evidence is being exchanged and ac tions are being coordinated by a specially established Polish-Ukrainian investigation team.

Nowak (45) holds Ukrainian as well as Polish citizenship. He was the president of Ukravtodor in 2016-2019. The Prosecutor’s Office has accused the former politi cian of heading an organized criminal group during his work in Ukraine. Nowak allegedly made the awarding of contracts for road construction and maintenance de pendent on payments to companies he designated: one in Cyprus and another in Poland. He is also accused of money laundering.

According to our unofficial information, there are four specific tenders in which the former minister allegedly com mitted these crimes.

On Aug. 3 the Prosecutor’s Office detained Aleksander D. in the former transport minister’s case. D. was a repre sentative of a Polish company that applied for a contract for the construction and renovation of a road in Ukraine, Alek sandra Skrzyniarz, spokeswoman for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw, told the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

“Sławomir N. is suspected of demanding and accepting financial and personal benefits in exchange for awarding contracts for road construction and renovation in Ukraine to private entities, as well as laundering the money from this crime. As a result, he received more than 1.3 million zlotys,” said Skrzyniarz.

“For the time being, I am stating unequivocally that in my opinion there is no such evidence,” said Joanna Broniszewska, Nowak’s attorney. “Our client consistently challenges his guilt in connection with the charges,” she claimed.

“During one day, more than 30 coordinated searches were conducted at private locations, in offices. During these operations, neither the money that was allegedly ob tained as a result of the accepted financial benefit was secured, nor were any documents found that, in the opinion of the prosecutors, would prove the connections between the particular economic entities described in the charges, so for the time being I am saying unequivocally that in my view there is no such evidence,” Broniszewska explained.

“It is possible that more materials and answers to this question will be found in the part of the classified file to which the defenders have not had access, but, based on the analysis made at the present time, these allegations are un justified and, in my opinion, the charges presented are premature,” Broniszewska claimed.

Zbigniew Ziobro, Poland’s minister of justice and gen eral prosecutor, admitted that he had knowledge of the investigation before CBA officers entered Nowak’s home. “Did I know about the case? I knew. Did I know specific information related to the case? I did not,” he said.

Former opposition presidential candidate Rafał Tr zaskowski has voiced serious doubts about the case. The election campaign in which Nowak cooperated with Trzas

Sławomir Nowak, former minister of transportation in Donald Tusk’s government (2011-2013) kowski ended on July 10. Hence questions from the Civic Coalition about the activities of law enforcement services at that particular time.

“I am mistrustful. Courts are there to explain such cases. I hope that the prime minister confirms that no member of my election staff, nor I myself, has ever been under surveil lance, because such an assurance is extremely important,” Trzaskowski said in an interview.

REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PROTESTS, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE FORMER MINISTER WILL REMAIN IN CUSTODY AT LEAST UNTIL OCT. 20.

“In no case has the Prosecutor’s Office or the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, in cases that I am aware of, used operational or procedural methods to keep politicians un der surveillance, as some people are trying to say here,” answered minister Ziobro.

Regardless of political protests, there is no doubt that the former minister will remain in custody at least until Oct. 20. Nothing is known about him being formally questioned. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the case is still being explained. Therefore, it is unlikely that formal charges will be made and a possible indictment issued before the end of this year.