Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accepted the resignation of Jacek Żalek from the post of State Secretary at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, according to government spokesman Piotr Müller.
The resignation of Jacek Żalek is accepted
Żalek, a member of the PiS club and Republican Party lawmaker, announced on Thursday evening that he would resign due to ongoing proceedings and what he described as false information circulating in the media. He had been serving as deputy minister and, in recent weeks, oversaw the National Center for Research and Development.
Today the Prime Minister signed the resignation, effectively ending Żalek’s duties as deputy minister, according to a government spokesperson.
There were no reports of MFiPR head Grzegorz Puda submitting a request to appoint Żalek’s successor at the ministry up to that point (as stated by government officials).
Further context on the situation was discussed in subsequent reporting, noting the implications for governance and parliamentary dynamics, and emphasizing that ongoing investigations were connected to the matter (citation: wPolityce).
The grant case and the National Center for Research and Development competition
The resignation is linked to the funding decisions made under the National Center for Research and Development’s competition titled “Fast track – digital innovations.” One grant, worth PLN 55 million, went to a company with a relatively modest capital and a score at the lowest end of the funding scale, determined about ten days before the deadline by a person under 30. A second grant, totaling PLN 123 million, supported a project on underwater cybersecurity associated with a company from Białystok that had reported losses in the prior two years.
In early March, MPs Dariusz Joński and Michał Szczerba, from KO, announced that payments to these two firms had been blocked after parliamentary scrutiny of the NCBiR, and they outlined a network of links they believed connected these companies to the Republican Party (citation: KO parliamentary records).
On February 13, Grzegorz Puda, head of the MFiPR, dismissed the acting director of the NCBiR, Paweł Kuch, who had led the center since August 2022, and appointed an acting head, Jacek Orzeł. The following day, Deputy Minister Żalek announced that the minister’s decision had triggered an inspection into the NCBiR’s process for the “Fast Track – digital innovations” competition (citation: MFiPR announcements).
By February 15, the Ministry informed that the NCBiR had notified the prosecutor about possible offenses related to the selection of a project under the co-funding scheme. A broader inspection by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau began on February 22 (citation: official ministry updates).
Earlier reporting indicated that Żalek’s testimony to investigators included transcripts of conversations among NCBiR executives, suggesting discussions about the Republican Party’s financial security in case of electoral losses. The term described for such actions was reported as “Black Coal” (citation: investigative reporting).
Żalek announced his resignation via a Thursday evening post on social media, asserting that the action was to shield his good name from false media information about the United Right, and expressing confidence that the matter would be clarified by government authorities and that his name would be cleared. He added that he had not made any accusations against the Republican Party (citation: Żalek’s statements).
In early March, Republican Party leader Adam Bielan, when asked about the NCBiR contest on TVP Info, stated that no funds had been spent from the two grants and that legal action might be considered against those who disseminated information about the funds. He also warned of potential action against individuals who insulted him or his party (citation: Bielan interview).
Note: All details reflect developments reported by domestic outlets and official statements linked to the ministries and parliamentary bodies (citation: wPolityce and related coverage).