Today, Jacek Żalek stepped down from his role as State Secretary at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, saying ongoing investigations into media-driven claims have affected his ability to serve. He affirmed that his resignation will stand until the matter is fully clarified and concerns about his name and the image of the United Right are settled.
Żalek stressed on social media that he has not leveled accusations against the Republican Party and expressed confidence that the relevant authorities will address the doubts and restore his good name.
The case of two grants
The report centers on two grants issued under the National Centre for Research and Development’s Fast Track program for digital innovations. The first grant, valued at 55 million PLN, went to a small company with a share capital of 5,000 PLN, just ten days before the application deadline. The project received the lowest funding score. The second grant, amounting to 123 million PLN, supported a project on undersea cybersecurity to a firm from Białystok that had reported losses in the previous two years.
In early March, Members of Parliament Dariusz Joński and Michał Szczerba from KO announced that payments to these two firms had been blocked during parliamentary scrutiny of the NCBiR. They also highlighted perceived links between the involved companies and the Republican Party.
On February 13, Grzegorz Puda, head of the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, dismissed the acting director of the National Center for Research and Development, Paweł Kuch, who had led the center since August 2022, and appointed an acting head, Jacek Orzeł. Żalek, then Deputy Minister and a member of the Republican Party, stated on February 14 that the minister had ordered an inspection of the NCBiR to review the integrity of the Fast Track – digital innovations competition. The ministry later notified the prosecutor about possible irregularities in project selection and co-financing on February 15, and the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau launched an inspection on February 22.
In early March, PiS spokesman Rafał Bochenek indicated that Żalek had been removed from overseeing the NCBiR and that the ministry was examining whether he may have influenced decisions at the center. He asserted that further consequences would follow once the circumstances surrounding the decision-making process were clarified.
On Thursday, the Onet.pl portal reported access to Żalek’s testimony to investigators, noting transcripts of conversations among National Center for Research and Development managers. The transcript allegedly describes how the Republican Party sought financial safeguards in case of a poor electoral outcome, a tactic described in the report as a plan called +Black Coal+.
Earlier in March, Adam Bielan, the leader of the Republican Party, stated on TVP Info that no funds from the two-project NCBiR contest had been spent and that legal action would be considered against anyone who defamed him or his party in connection with the matter.
“There is and will be no protective field for wrongdoing.”
Government spokesman Piotr Müller was asked about potential personnel changes tied to irregularities in the NCBiR grants. He pledged that there would be no tolerance for abuse and that anyone responsible would be held accountable. Müller added that transparency is essential, and any conclusions would guide forthcoming personnel decisions if warranted by ongoing reviews by the CBA and internal audits.
He also noted that no requests to remove Żalek had been made so far, given the ongoing investigations, and said that authorities would communicate any decisions once the reviews are complete.
“Jack, thanks for the responsible decision”
Żalek’s resignation drew a response on social media from Łukasz Mejza. The opposition suggested that pressuring the NCBiR could challenge the ruling coalition, but Mejza expressed solidarity and thanked Żalek for his responsible decision, which would allow officials to explain all aspects of the case more comprehensively.
kk/PAP/Twitter
Source: wPolityce