Irregularities in the MPO
Officials insist that the instruments to determine legality lie with the agencies, not the city hall. Warsaw’s mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, emphasized this when questioned about why the city was slow to address concerns raised by trade unions over irregularities in MPO tenders. The message was clear: the necessary tools to assess and respond to potential violations rest with the proper authorities, capable of conducting a thorough review. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
Signatures from unions arrived in July, raising issues about the MPO and asking the city’s leadership to initiate a formal examination of the situation within the company. The call was for transparency and accountability, with union representatives pushing for a comprehensive assessment of how tender processes were being managed. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
One of the union’s central demands, aside from wage discussions, called for a reorganization that would remove political influence from the company. In its place, they urged appointing a manager dedicated to running the MPO in a manner befitting the organization’s responsibilities and public interest. The statement was delivered by Waldemar Wolski, chair of NSZZ Solidarity MPO, in an interview with the press. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
Leaked chatter suggested that waste processing tenders might be tainted by arrangements with a particular contractor. The unions noted that they did not have access to the underlying documents themselves, which is why they urged the MPO president to ensure a formal review. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
In response, city authorities explained that an audit had been launched to examine the matter, while stressing that the city itself lacked both the tools and the authority to preemptively clear up any issues that might prove to be corrupt. The audit was described as a definitive step, with the city asserting its role in initiating the process and ensuring deadlines were respected. Rafał Trzaskowski, the city’s mayor, added that he had warned the board in advance that an audit would take place. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
Trzaskowski did not change the board of directors
As the audit proceeded, Trzaskowski had not yet received its findings and did not alter the composition of the MPO’s board of directors, a move that union members had urged. The audit, which began on January 16, aimed to evaluate both the management framework of the MPO and the progress of the expansion and modernization of the municipal solid waste treatment facility located in Targówek. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
The scope extended to the evaluation of how the MPO collaborates with contractors and how effectively project oversight and investment monitoring are conducted in the field of municipal waste management. Accountants and oversight teams were actively engaged at the time the information was being reported. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
Monika Beuth, the spokeswoman for the capital city hall, confirmed the ongoing audit during communications with the press service. The investigation sought to clarify the structure and performance of the entire management system within the MPO and the administrative mechanisms guiding the expansion project. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
Detention of the former deputy minister
During the review, law enforcement authorities detained a former deputy minister of finance and two businesspeople. They are suspected of engaging in contracts valued at hundreds of millions of PLN with the MPO in Warsaw, with prosecutors alleging organized crime involvement and the misuse of influence. The charges related to contracts totaling approximately 600 million PLN and bribes nearing 5 million PLN. The court subsequently ordered the three individuals held in custody for three months. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
Investigators indicated that between August 2020 and January 2023 a pattern of corrupt practices emerged around MPO waste-management contracts in the capital. Representatives from a major capital group interested in waste processing reportedly entered into an agreement with one of the individuals under investigation. The details were released by the national prosecutor’s office. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
News summaries from the prosecutor’s office reflected ongoing attention to the case, including references to the detained individuals and updates on the total financial benefits under scrutiny. The Central Anti-Corruption Bureau highlighted that the investigation focused on corruption risks associated with the MPO’s waste management contracts. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
There were reports of demonstrations by MPO employees in front of the town hall as they called for accountability from the city leadership, urging the president to address the issue head-on. (Source attribution: wPolityce)
aja/PAP