It seems the Confederation was used as a target by Banaś to demonstrate his influence, aiming to please Tusk. This perspective was shared in a televised conversation with Maciej Wolny on Polskie Radio 24, following revelations from TVP Info about the President of the Supreme Court of Audit and the Supreme Court of Audit, Marek Chmaj. The discussion touched on perceived criminal aspects and suggested this scenario could be a larger scandal than the Rywin affair.
Banaś’s ties
The release of Banaś’s tapes, brought to light by TVP Info, sparked extensive debate across social and traditional media. Questions emerged about the connections between the President of the Supreme Court and the Confederation, and the role of Banaś’s son, Jakub, who is listed as a candidate for Parliament with this party in the elections.
READ ALSO:
– TVP Info reveals Banaś’s ties. The President of the Supreme Court states he agreed to his son joining the Confederation to prevent a coalition with PiS.
– A new fragment of Banaś’s tapes includes remarks about passing information to Tusk and remarks about weakening PiS.
“Action aimed at the Polish state”
The topic was discussed by Przemysław Czarnek, the Minister of Education and Science, in an interview with Polskie Radio 24. He asserted that the matter concerns an action against the Polish state and the foundations of a democratic constitutional order.
He noted that the slogans about defending the independence of the audit office and objectivity in audits and reports have now become transparent, with the statements published in black and white. He referred to a joint conference on August 1 between Sławomir Mentzen, a leader within Confederation, and Marian Banaś, the President of the Supreme Court, describing the briefing as controversial across the political spectrum.
Gifts for the “boss”
As recalled by Wolny, recordings show the head of NIK speaking with a constitutionalist who is seen as an envoy of Tusk. He mentioned giving gifts, and Czarnek asserted that Banaś appeared to be signaling influence over the Confederation to curry favor with Tusk.
The minister added that the recording involved no agency participation and that the authors were officials of the Supreme Court of Auditors led by Banaś. He described the morning revelations as surprising but not surprising in the sense of the Supreme Court’s public image.
“A Conversation Between Two Smart Guys”
What surprised Minister Czarnek most in the conversation was the tone and standards of the participants, suggesting that labeling them Belarusian would insult Lukashenko’s regime. The dialogue portrayed the supreme control body as a propaganda tool in the context of electoral politics, according to Wolny’s summary of the remarks.
“In my opinion it meets the criteria for criminal offences.”
The comparison to the Rywin scandal emphasized the alleged intent to influence law and policy for political gain. The discussion framed the episode as a shift within the Supreme Audit Office and the constitutional framework, driven by the head of the office, the President, and an envoy who appeared to be aligned with political messaging intended to secure votes and shape reports. Czarnek described the content as a deliberate act to benefit a political side during the campaign season.
He labeled the material as profoundly alarming and potentially criminal, noting that the conversations were recorded by NIK employees. When asked about possible liability, Czarnek said a strict legal assessment was necessary, and the case could fall under criminal laws depending on how the facts are interpreted.
TVP Info: The biggest scandal since Rywin
TVP Info reported that the tapes originated from NIK employees who were disillusioned with the chairman’s use of the House for political battles. The station argued that Marek Chmaj, acting as Tusk’s envoy, coordinated actions against PiS with the President of the Supreme Court. It was alleged that Banaś had gifts for the envoy at the end of the election season, and that the reports issued by the Supreme Audit Office were part of a coordinated campaign against PiS, involving Confederation, NIK, and Tusk. The recordings suggest Banaś stressed his influence within the Confederation to be leveraged after the elections.
READ ALSO:
– Chmaj confirms Banaś’s tapes but defends the context, claiming the full conversation was taken out of context.
– Banaś’s controversial comment about an attempted coercion through intimidation or manipulation.
– Chmaj’s role in the project granting NIK prosecutor-like powers and his opposition to decommunization measures.
aja/PR24, TVP info
Source: wPolityce