Open Dialogue Foundation received more than 27,000 PLN collected by a bailiff from the bank account of Maciej Wąsik, according to reports from PAP. The amount represents the enforcement of a court decision ordering the former deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in the PiS government to compensate the foundation and its leaders, Ludmiła Kozłowska and Bartosz Kramek, for personal-rights violations tied to statements made in 2018–2019.
The funds appeared in the foundation’s account after a transfer of 27,600 PLN and subsequent withdrawals by the bailiff from Wąsik’s account, as conveyed to PAP by Bartosz Kramek, a member of the foundation’s board. The liquidation of the sum comes in the wake of a final court ruling in a suit filed by Kramek, Kozłowska, and the Open Dialogue Foundation against Wąsik, who publicly accused the activists of criticizing government actions, alleging connections with Russia, hybrid operations, and money laundering.
The Court of Appeal upheld the earlier verdict in February of this year, confirming the organization’s claims. The judgment required Wąsik to issue a public apology for spreading harmful and false information within 14 days of the verdict becoming final and to pay damages totaling 30,000 PLN to the three plaintiffs and the foundation—10,000 PLN to each plaintiff and 0 to the foundation as a separate party in the total sum. Wąsik’s failure to comply triggered further enforcement actions initiated by the foundation’s counsel, who proceeded with bailiff proceedings on June 18.
The bailiff enforcement was carried out by Aleksandra Rudzka-Natanek at the Warsaw-Żoliborz District Court. By the end of June, about 50,000 PLN had been withdrawn from Wąsik’s account. Of that amount, 30,000 PLN represented the principal damages, more than 11,000 PLN accrued as interest, around 7,600 PLN covered legal costs, approximately 900 PLN accounted for representation in enforcement, and under 5,000 PLN represented enforcement costs. After deducting enforcement and legal fees, the remaining funds were credited to the foundation.
Looking ahead, the foundation intends to compel the remainder of the verdict, which includes requiring an apology to be published in media outlets specified by the court. The deadline for the apology passed earlier this year, but since it was not fulfilled, the enforcement process will proceed through the courts again.
According to Bartosz Kramek, the foundation’s representative, a new enforcement filing was submitted with the court to ensure the apology is issued within a three-day window following the finalization of the court’s decision. Failure to comply could trigger a daily penalty of 5,000 PLN. The legal argument emphasizes the seriousness of the alleged personal-rights violations, the duration of the offense, and the broad audience reached by Wąsik’s statements.
The advocacy highlights that Maciej Wąsik is a well-known figure in Poland and currently serves as a Member of the European Parliament, underlining the social significance of enforcing the law equally against high-profile individuals. The application stresses that such enforcement reinforces the principle that all citizens, regardless of status, are subject to legal accountability.
Kramek’s Commentary on Political Speech
Bartosz Kramek has indicated that the foundation will pursue civil and criminal actions against other figures from the former government who are accused of political persecution. He points to a pattern of alleged intimidation directed at activists, judges, and business leaders, describing past cases as involving fabrications and improper investigations. The discussion references allegations against various public figures, including figures from the security and financial sectors, as well as activists and advocates. The narrative asserts that these actions reveal a broader climate of pressure and harassment in state institutions.
In his statements, Kramek suggests that post-Soviet practices such as surveillance, threats, and intimidation were employed in the described episodes and questions when public figures responsible for governance would be held to account. He also raises questions about the accountability of prosecutors and other authorities involved in the cases, framing them as part of a longer pattern of political interference.
When might prosecutors and investigators be held to account for their involvement in such cases? That question concludes a line of inquiry that Kramek says he will continue to pursue as part of the foundation’s broader mission to scrutinize the actions of the previous administration.
As seen in the remarks, Kramek plans to keep focusing on individuals connected to the former ruling coalition and to pursue judicial avenues that address perceived injustices in political processes. The conversation remains ongoing, with new developments expected as enforcement actions proceed and additional legal actions are considered. (Source: contemporary reporting on political and legal developments in Poland)
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— Further updates on the Wąsik case and related actions by the Open Dialogue Foundation
— Reactions to the foundation’s statements and the ongoing legal proceedings
Source: wPolityce