The Deputy Attorney General addressed the Attorney General of Germany with a formal letter, responding to discussions around a visa affair in Poland. The deputy, Krzysztof Urbaniak, stressed that the scale of alleged corruption had been inflated and that some reports in German media, including statements from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, were not supported by the facts.
The Polish Press Agency has obtained the letter dated in the middle of the week, sent by Deputy Prosecutor General Krzysztof Urbaniak to Peter Frank, the Federal Prosecutor General of the Federal Republic of Germany. The communication comes amid heightened scrutiny of migration policies in both Poland and Germany and in response to misleading information circulating publicly about the visa matter.
Urbaniak began the letter by explaining that the public discussion and misrepresented information about the so-called visa scandal could harm Poland’s image and strain Polish-German relations. He stated his intention to share information gathered during ongoing investigations to depict the current, factual state of the case in question.
Intensive visa review
The deputy noted that the National Public Prosecutor’s Office has been conducting a thorough probe into alleged corruption in issuing visas to migrants. Seven individuals were charged with offenses, and three were temporarily detained following a court decision. He credited the Polish Public Prosecution Service and the Central Bureau of Investigation for uncovering and stopping the illegal scheme.
Urbaniak pointed out that the main suspect was released from custody after four months due to cooperation with law enforcement authorities. He stressed that some Polish media had circulated incorrect figures, claiming the investigation covered more than two hundred thousand visas when the factual scope involved 268 cases.
In the letter, he noted that most visa recipients worked in Poland and did not travel to Germany. He added that it is inaccurate to assert that the immigrants originated from African nations.
Claims about sensationalism and the German leadership
According to Urbaniak, the extent of reported corruption had been exaggerated, presented with a misleading portrayal, and the reported accounts were not supported by evidence. He argued that sensationalist reporting contributed to public misunderstanding and could mislead authorities and citizens alike.
As a consequence, some media outlets in Germany, and even the German chancellor, were said to have echoed unverified claims. Urbaniak indicated he could provide the German prosecutor with detailed information to prevent unverified statements from shaping official positions and to aid in countering visa-related crime, an aim that concerns all EU member states.
He underscored the obligation of Polish services to respond to disinformation, especially when it becomes widespread and undermines efforts to combat organized crime.