Background and Claims Surrounding the Visa Inquiry
The discussion centers on alleged inconsistencies regarding statements from the Attorney General, Adam Bodnar, as raised by PiS Member of Parliament Zbigniew Bogucki. In a letter addressed to Michał Szczerba, the head of the Visa Investigative Committee, Bogucki asserted that the National Prosecutor at one point named Dariusz Barski as the relevant official, only to reverse that position days later. The sequence prompted questions about the rule of law and the integrity of the process.
The parliamentary process began with the first meeting of the Commission of Inquiry into the visa affair. The committee aims to outline a work plan, request evidence, and determine the initial witnesses to be summoned as part of its mandate to scrutinize the registration and oversight of residency procedures for foreigners.
Details about the committee’s early activity were highlighted by Milewski, who suggested that the commission is actively examining matters tied to visa administration and potential irregularities in its oversight.
Allegations of Hypocrisy in Justice Ministry Leadership
During the same session, attention shifted to perceived contradictions in the stance of the Minister of Justice, Adam Bodnar. Bogucki, a member of the PiS faction on the investigative committee, signaled that the remarks and actions of Bodnar warranted scrutiny within the inquiry’s framework.
The inquiry into the visa issue, referred to as the Commission of Inquiry into Visas, noted a specific development: a letter from Bodnar to Michał Szczerba indicating that on January 5, 2024, the National Prosecutor was associated with Dariusz Barski, followed by a statement on January 12 that this association was no longer considered applicable. The comment was framed by supporters of Bodnar as a potential misstep in communication and policy interpretation.
Bogucki shared images of Bodnar’s letter to the committee chair. The correspondence referenced the Sejm’s December 19, 2023 resolution establishing an investigative commission to examine the legality, regularity, and expediency of visa processes from 2019 to 2023. The letter invited the President to participate in a forthcoming meeting with the National Prosecutor, Dariusz Barski, to ensure the commission’s objectives were met.
Shifts Within the National Prosecution Service
Another focal point involved timing surrounding personnel decisions. Reports indicated that on January 12, a prime ministerial change entrusted the duties of the National Prosecutor to Jacek Bilewicz, through Bodnar’s office. Subsequent statements asserted that, during the meeting with Dariusz Barski, Bodnar presented documents claiming that Barski’s reinstatement to active duty in February 2022, under the previous Attorney General, was inconsistent with regulations and did not produce legal effects. These assertions were presented as actions taken without presidential authorization in regard to changes within the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and they were followed by the appointment of Bilewicz to a position described as Acting National Prosecutor, a title viewed by some as provisional within a non-existent rank.
Observers pointed out that such rapid changes appear to have been implemented in a manner that was not fully aligned with established procedures, highlighting what supporters describe as contradictions in Bodnar’s reasoning and the management of the prosecution service during the period in question.
Additionally, readers were invited to reflect on prior statements and to consider whether attempts to influence or reinterpret the process may have affected the ongoing inquiry.
In related discourse, an interview with Ostrowski was cited, with comments directed at the actions of Bilewicz and questions about the continuity of any informal or imagined roles within the PK framework. The compilation of sources and commentary underscored a broader debate about transparency and governance in visa-related oversight.