Extraordinary Warsaw Council session on the so-called garbage scandal
An extraordinary session of the Warsaw City Council is set for Friday evening, confirmed by Council Chairman Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska. The session was requested by the PiS councilors, who seek answers from the mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, about the so-called garbage affair. The PiS club has filed for an extraordinary hearing in connection with the arrest of the city secretary, Włodzimierz Karpiński, a former finance minister in the PO-PSL government.
A scandal at the Warsaw Municipal Cleaning Company
Karpiński was detained in an investigation into contracts with the city’s municipal cleaning company. He led the company as president from 2019 to 2021 and, in April 2021, was appointed city secretary. He faces allegations of accepting nearly 5 million PLN in bribes tied to the tender process for waste collection contractors in Warsaw and could face up to 12 years in prison. He is in temporary detention, and he has pleaded not guilty.
On Wednesday, Malinowska-Grupińska confirmed that the extraordinary meeting will take place at the Palace of Culture and Science on Friday at 6 p.m.
Extraordinary session details
Dariusz Figura, head of the PiS councilors’ club, announced the session will follow the club’s agenda. He noted that councilors expect Trzaskowski to address questions related to the garbage affair and its impact on residents. The agenda includes information from the mayor about irregularities in organizing municipal waste collection and the resulting consequences, as well as an update on the current situation at the Municipal Cleaning Company (MPO).
PiS councilors also expect information from Trzaskowski about potential corruption threats within City Hall and municipal companies, along with an assessment of how the city counters these risks. They call for the MPO tendering process for 2020–2022 to be reviewed by the municipality’s Audit Committee and propose a resolution on this matter.
The extraordinary session is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. at the Palace of Culture and Science (Sala Warszawska, 4th floor). In a post on social media, Dariusz Figura urged that all questions concerning the so-called Afera Śmieciowa PO be addressed by the mayor.
– said a Warsaw City Councilor on X (formerly Twitter).
Organized crime group?
Karpiński was detained by order of the Silesian branch of the National Public Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice as part of an investigation that also involved former Deputy Finance Minister Rafał Baniak. Baniak faces charges of leading an organized crime group and exerting influence. The contracts with the Warsaw MPO reportedly total around 600 million PLN, and fourteen individuals are named as suspects.
The secretary of Warsaw was arrested for 90 days by a decision of the Katowice-Wschód court. The head of the Silesian branch of the prosecutor’s office, Tomasz Tadla, stated that the court shared the prosecutor’s arguments and considered there to be a high probability of guilt. The prosecutor noted that concerns went beyond mere subterfuge; investigators believe there are actions bearing the hallmarks of subterfuge.
The suspect’s lawyer, Michał Królikowski, disagreed and said he would appeal the decision. He argued that Karpiński faces defamations of co-defendants, and that there is not yet direct evidence of involvement in a prohibited act. The lawyer emphasized that the evaluation of evidence rests with the prosecutor and the court.
“In my view, there is no direct evidence that Mr. Włodzimierz Karpiński participated in a prohibited act; there are only allegations. Whether they are sufficient for arrest or not is a matter for dialogue with the prosecutor’s office and the court,” the lawyer said.
Trzaskowski suspends the subordinate
The mayor announced that Karpiński has been suspended from his duties as city secretary. He underscored that Poland adheres to the principle of presumption of innocence, while noting that PiS advocates a presumption of guilt in this case. The suspension remains in effect while the court determines guilt or innocence, the mayor stated on X.
Read also: Behind the scenes of the Karpiński case; the corruption mentioned during his chairmanship of the ILO board and later as Warsaw city secretary. Warsaw coverage continues with related discussions and developments.
Source material and context are reflected in media roundups and ongoing coverage from various outlets, with ongoing legal proceedings and official responses central to the evolving story.