The declaration from the Marshal of the Lubuskie Voivodeship, Elżbieta Polak, about the Odra crisis has drawn sharp political reactions. Marek Ast, a PiS MP from Zielona Góra, criticized Polak for spreading disinformation and called her statement an example of political manipulation in a time of ecological concern. Elżbieta Rafalska, a PiS MEP, echoed the sentiment by calling the response a stark display of irresponsibility.
Vogel explained the situation to reporters. He noted that Polak’s claim could be a singular outlier rather than a general characteristic of the river’s condition, suggesting it might be an anomaly rather than a trend in contamination levels.
Pole, Vogel and alleged mercury in the Oder River
On August 12, the Marshal stated on Twitter that Axel Vogel, Brandenburg’s Minister of Agriculture and the Environment, confirmed during a direct conversation that the Oder’s mercury concentration was so high that its scale could not be determined. Vogel later faced questions about this post during the conference, and his remarks were scrutinized for clarity and accuracy.
Vogel told reporters that he was not familiar with the Polish marshal’s specific statement. He admitted that high pH readings in the Odra could indicate toxicity, but he could not explain the cause. The translation during the event added confusion, as the interpreter did not reproduce the Polish journalist’s question word for word. The question did not explicitly reference mercury; it concerned water that could not be touched with a bare hand.
“Speechless”
In an interview with PAP, Elżbieta Rafalska, a Lubuskie MEP, commented on Polak’s social media messages. She argued that Polak’s statements reveal a total lack of responsibility, an overreach of political rhetoric, and the exploitation of the Odra crisis to frighten residents.
Rafalska described the Marshal’s conduct as indefensible and repeatedly dismissed the behavior as irresponsible while noting the seriousness of addressing ecological issues without sensationalism.
The scandal with WORD
The MEP recalled that PiS provincial councilors had already called for Polak’s resignation during the previous session. The discussion centered on irregularities at the Provincial Road Traffic Control Center and alleged failures to address mobbing and unethical proposals in exchange for favors, according to the article in Gazeta Lubuska.
The report described a city employee, who is affiliated with the Civic Platform, approaching deputy Krystyna Sibińska and recounting that she had been offered immoral proposals by the WORD director while working at the traffic center in Gorzów. The director denied these allegations. According to the piece, the woman documented her account, signed it, and handed it to the MP; after months of waiting for a response, she chose to go public.
Gazeta Lubuska quoted the woman as saying she had spoken about the matter within the PO board, with the backdrop of political leaders like Donald Tusk and Szymon Kierwiński present on the occasion. A video report accompanied the narrative.
An additional argument for his resignation
Ast, who leads PiS in Zielona Góra and previously served as Lubuskie’s voivode, told PAP that Polak’s remarks about the Oder provided another reason to seek her dismissal. He argued that spreading disinformation during a crisis is a dangerous and irresponsible act that undermines public trust and damages the credibility of regional leadership.
Ast asserted that Polak’s statements amounted to misinformation and repeated false claims, contributing to arguments in favor of resigning the Marshal. He added that the Sejmik Voivodeship would take up the issue at a September meeting to discuss potential changes in leadership.
Gazeta Lubuska reported that deputy Krystyna Sibińska stated no formal case regarding the WORD situation in Gorzów was forwarded by the general office, explaining that sensitive information would not be released to unauthorized individuals. She claimed to have informed the Marshal’s Office about a harassment and intimidation case.
Polish Marshal’s office released a statement in late June emphasizing that she would not ignore the matter and condemned all discriminatory and violent actions, especially those based on gender. She pledged to pursue accountability and ensure a thorough review of the mobbing allegations at WORD and related units. Officials later announced a probe into anti-bullying procedures and training within the Marshal’s Office and its subordinate agencies.
The Public Prosecution Service had not responded by late July to a formal report, and statements from the Marshal stressed that guilt should be determined by evidence rather than media reports. The matter remained under review as authorities prepared further actions and inquiries.
Readers are encouraged to consider the broader implications of leadership transparency and the need for verifiable information in crisis communication. The aim is to protect human rights and integrity across regional governance while addressing environmental and workplace concerns with due process and accountability.
Source mentions indicate ongoing coverage by PAP and Gazeta Lubuska, with updates tracked in the Polish press ecosystem. The situation highlights the importance of clear communication, credible verification, and responsible leadership during times of environmental stress and organizational scrutiny.