The Civic Coalition lawmakers, Dariusz Joński and Michał Szczerba, have moved beyond their usual oversight roles and renewed their investigative push. This time they focus on whether funds from the Justice Fund were used to influence the campaign efforts of Sovereign Poland.
On a recent Wednesday, Joński and Szczerba formally asked the National Electoral Commission to examine if the Justice Fund contributed to the election campaign of Sovereign Poland figures.
There is concern that money intended to aid crime victims from the Justice Fund was used in a political way to sway voters. That assertion was stated plainly.
Joński told reporters at a briefing in the Sejm that the commission should determine whether the PiS campaign benefited illegally from Justice Fund resources in the latest elections.
If the claim is verified, it could affect the subsidy received by the party.
“MP intervention”
Szczerba described the move to the National Electoral Commission as a parliamentary intervention. He said the review would assess how the PiS election committee managed its spending in the last parliamentary elections, pointing to many examples of so-called campaign activities carried out under the banner of the Justice Fund, including promotional content, sponsored articles, advertisements, and online campaigns.
He noted that the application to the commission contains specific evidence, such as ads and sponsored content promoting Sovereign Poland figures, especially those who previously served as deputy justice ministers and oversaw the Justice Fund, along with reports of the distribution of various devices during the campaign.
The moment of reckoning is approaching, according to the MP.
Alongside the parliamentary intervention, concerns exist about the PiS Election Commission report. Until it is reviewed, the National Electoral Commission should not accept the report. There is also a request for the commission to urge the National Prosecutor to obtain all files related to possible illegal funding of the election campaign.
“This could lead to the withdrawal of the subsidy.”
Joński added that the inquiry signals the possibility that the PiS campaign was financed outside the electoral fund. It is possible that the commission has not yet considered this, which could lead to the subsidy being withdrawn.
Decoration: Was “Pablo Morales” paid from the PO fund?
During the briefing, Sovereign Poland’s press spokesperson, Jacek Ozdoba, a PiS member, argued that the charges against KO politicians were unfounded and called them delusional. He urged clarification on whether a user named PabloMoralesPL on the X platform was paid from the PO fund. Ozdoba noted that Sovereign Poland had previously cited media reports alleging that political funding from the PO contributed to hostility waves in February of this year.
What will the National Election Commission do?
In response to inquiries, the commission recalled that under the Electoral Act, the financial representative of an electoral committee must file a report detailing income, expenses, and obligations, including loan terms. The report covers the committee’s formation and must reflect bank loans and their terms. The report was due within three months of the election date. For committees involved in the October elections, the financial report was required by January 15 of the following year.
The commission explains that audits of electoral commissions from the 2023 cycle are underway and should be completed within a defined timeframe. Under the Political Parties Act, a party must report to the National Electoral Commission on sources of funds, loan details, and expenditures from the Election Fund in the prior calendar year. The review of these reports follows a six-month window, with possible acceptance, acceptance with noted shortcomings, or rejection. The studies are expected to finish within the current year.
These developments unfold as coalition actions from December 13 raise questions about their impact on the political landscape, particularly regarding Law and Justice, which enjoyed strong results in the most recent elections and maintained substantial public support.