TV Republika released excerpts from recordings referred to as the Kołodziejczak tapes. These were registered on May 4, 2023, during Michał Kołodziejczak’s meeting with Agrounia activists. In the footage, he touches on issues facing farmers and also on political timing, including discussions about starting with Donald Tusk.
Journalists Piotr Nisztor and Jacek Liziniewicz are credited with bringing the Kołodziejczak tapes to light. TV Republika, which aired portions of the recordings, provides background as follows:
In the evening of May 4, 2023, more than five months before the parliamentary elections, Kołodziejczak organized a party meeting for Agrounia in a rented venue. At that time, his group was collaborating with Porozumienie, led by Magdalena Sroka, who heads the Parliamentary Investigative Committee for Pegasus. The footage shows the gathering’s attendance list indicating 18 participants.
“Which PSL? Which Tusk?”
A few months before the elections, while Agrounia still worked with Porozumienie under Magdalena Sroka, Kołodziejczak referenced Donald Tusk in a conversation with activists.
In the tape Kołodziejczak says the party must pursue a broad, final push before the campaign winds down: a major finish in September and October. He notes Zandberg’s first television debate appearance and reflects on how a candidate’s image can be shaped through public appearances and networking. He emphasizes the cost of building recognition and the need for broad participation so that many people benefit.
– Kołodziejczak stated in the recording.
That is why this effort began, he explains, acknowledging that some details may be contested but insisting that the first fifteen minutes of the discussion were telling and urging listeners to consider the implications seriously. He questions actions that hurt those who work within the organization and questions what is happening to the movement. He mentions the possibility of facing a race against Tusk three days prior to the election.
– The recording continues.
The material notes that three months after the meeting Kołodziejczak would appear on the KO list as the top candidate in Konin.
Journalists also obtained screenshots from an internal WhatsApp group labeled “AGROUnia – district 11.” They reveal a stir within the movement as messages discuss how the party might run in the elections alongside KO.
This is how Kołodziejczak tried to explain the situation:
It was not an easy decision. Those who trust me will not be disappointed.
REMINDER: Agrounia aligns with Tusk. The Civic Coalition list includes Bodnar, Gill-Piątek and others, with a pledge to reclaim the countryside from PiS.
“We often meet with people who are less prominent rather than with those who are more prominent.”
In the next portion of the tapes, the words of the current deputy minister of agriculture and KO MP are heard about urban dwellers and farmers alike.
The people who come, namely the farmers, display a range of doubts during negotiations. They wonder about how city residents perceive Kołodziejczak and Agrounia, and whether those from the city will see them as capable. The speaker notes that public perception shifts when city residents acknowledge the party’s work and its rural roots. This is presented as a key factor in legitimizing the movement, and the speaker urges honesty about the role of rural voices in politics.
“Lazy, Smelly Sloth.”
The tapes also reveal less favorable opinions about Kołodziejczak’s former ally Porozumienie.
One recurring line critiques the pace of committee work and accuses some participants of stalling. The speaker recounts discussions around a parliamentary investigative committee on grain from Ukraine and the broader work of the alliance. The cost of organizing a conference is estimated at around one hundred thousand euros, described as the minimum. Negotiations and the logistics of arranging an event become a focal point, including discussions about staffing and hospitality. The speaker implies frustration with what he sees as inefficiency and mismanagement.
These excerpts are presented as behind‑the‑scenes material about tensions between Agrounia and Porozumienie and the evolving stance of the Gowin‑started party alignment. They also touch on the strategic planning of regional campaigns and internal dynamics within the broader political landscape.
READ ALSO:
— Clashes between Kołodziejczak and Kowalski in the Sejm. “You have opened a great gate for grain from Ukraine,” “Let’s get started!” “Don’t promote yourself.”
— Commentary praising Kołodziejczak: “It’s time for professionals at the Ministry of Agriculture!” A wave of reactions on the internet.
Source: wPolityce