A forthcoming lawsuit targets MPs KO Szczerba and Joński in connection with the National Center for Research and Development and the so-called Bielana Agreement. Critics describe them as figures who have offended many people. Internal audits at the NCBiR reportedly began prior to any publicly alleged irregularities, according to Adam Bielan, a PiS MEP and Republican leader who discussed the matter publicly.
During an interview with Radio Plus on Monday, Bielan spoke about the National Center for Research and Development’s Fast Track competition and the statements made by KO politicians Dariusz Joński and Michał Szczerba last week. The politicians claimed that the Bielana system was established within the NCBiR under a framework overseen by Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Jacek Żalek, a Republican official. They asserted that several individuals connected to Żalek and Bielan were involved in the center’s governance.
Szczerba and Joński have faced strong rebukes while Bielan indicated there would be legal consequences for their public statements. He stressed that falsehoods in the public arena are unacceptable and that the issue would be resolved in court.
When asked whether the remarks about the Bielana system encompassed broader concerns, Bielan suggested the dispute extends beyond the specific words mentioned, highlighting a wider set of issues.
Further allegations were raised, with Szczerba and Joński contending at a recent conference that an audit did not occur in January. The NCBiR later presented dates showing that initial audits began weeks earlier, prior to the KO MPs learning of the matter, according to Bielan.
“Lawsuits will be sent,” Bielan stated, adding that the actions would involve not only him but also others whom the KO MPs allegedly offended by spreading false information.
Such lawsuits, he noted, would be issued soon, possibly within the week.
Bielan clarified that he did not supervise the NCBiR directly. He noted that once year-start information about resource allocation irregularities surfaced, an inspection was launched on January 9 and continued on January 12. When irregularities were identified, the initial personnel involved in the case were dismissed.
Bielan was also asked whether Żalek should relinquish his role as Vice President of the Republicans in light of the controversy. He replied that any decision would rest with the party’s national council.
Bielan explained that he chose not to oversee the institution while doubts lingered, and he described the dismissal reasons in a formal statement.
Asked about Żalek’s potential candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Bielan indicated that lists would be finalized in August, by which time more would be known about what happened at the NCBiR.
At a press conference last Wednesday, Joński asserted that Bielan claimed he acted to implement corrective procedures at the NCBiR, while Joński argued there was no prior verification before KO MPs spoke out. Joński also claimed that the NCBiR’s activities began on February 3, after which there was a filing for verification with director Paweł Kuch, referencing media reports.
Joński further alleged that the Bielana system originated within the NCBiR, and Szczerba stated that when Republican oversight began in August 2022 as part of political arrangements, Paweł Kuch was installed as director. Szczerba added that Kuch had ties to a law firm with longstanding connections to Bielan, noting past work for Bielan’s spouse. From Kuch’s office, political movement within the NCBiR expanded, according to Szczerba.
As of September 2022, nine advisers were employed at the center, with Szczerba naming one adviser, Ignacy Bobruk, who previously worked at the Warsaw Stock Exchange and helped coordinate the Fast Track project, a project that involved substantial funding from the stock exchange network.
KO deputies claim that the director’s advisers organized a network around the NCBiR and that one company, NCBR Akces, was relocated to Radom, where Bielan serves as an MEP, illustrating the connections alleged by KO members.
Controversy surrounding the NCBiR Fast Track competition
Early February saw reports about the controversy surrounding the NCBiR’s Fast Track digital innovation competition. Radio ZET reported that a PLN 55 million grant went to a company with a nominal capital of PLN 5,000, established ten days before the application deadline and aged under 30. The proposal received a low score yet qualified for co-financing. Opposition MPs questioned the process alongside a separate PLN 123 million grant for an undersea cybersecurity project targeting a company from Białystok that had posted losses for two consecutive years.
The Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy announced on February 15 that prosecutors were examining the case, with a report concerning potential irregularities in project selection under this procedure. The Acting Director of the NCBiR, Paweł Kuch, filed the report on February 8, and Jacek Orzeł replaced him in February. On February 22, the CBA began an inspection of the NCBiR.
Analysts and journalists continue to scrutinize the matter, with coverage noting both the audit timeline and the sequence of events that followed. The discussions remain high-profile in political discourse and are being tracked by multiple outlets.
Source: wPolityce