Tomasz Mraz, working alongside Roman Giertych, has repeatedly shared details about alleged irregularities tied to the Justice Fund. In the company of a recognized attorney, the current minor key witness was afforded a platform to recount his version of events to the media. Those who oppose Mraz and Giertych’s disclosures do not enjoy the same privilege. The question is why. An investigation that centers on the Justice Fund’s activities appears to have its chief public interlocutor, Piotr Woźniak, a prosecutor assigned to the National Prosecutor’s Office, who also serves as the coordinator or ‘host’ of the inquiry, reportedly did not consent to broad media access. What fears are driving Adam Bodnar and his allies within PK, the party or political coalition, to block or constrain these revelations?
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Woźniak’s reply to a detailed request from Father Olszewski’s defense team, along with two officials from the Ministry of Justice who were detained with him in late March, was a single sentence in form but far from a simple statement in substance.
– I wish to inform you that I do not grant permission for the publication of any material from the investigation files in any form whatsoever. Prosecutor’s Office (…)
That is how Woźniak’s response read when lawyers for the detained priests asked for access to items such as the charges against Urszula D. (one of the Justice Fund officials taken into custody with Father Olszewski), the content of her testimony, and the information contained in Mraz’s own explanations.
explanations from Mraz
The defense argues that there are legitimate reasons for seeking disclosure of parts of the investigation materials. Among these reasons are public appearances by Tomasz Mraz, who, according to the defense teams of the detained individuals, has smeared others and at times presented statements that do not align with the facts. The defense also seeks to determine whether the Prosecutor’s Office has opened an inquiry into the disclosure of investigative secrets by Mraz. This is not a trivial question. Roman Giertych contends that there can be no disclosure, yet independent prosecutors and practicing lawyers see things differently. Prosecutors Michał Ostrowski and Robert Hernand, representing the state’s interest, have reportedly submitted a formal inquiry to the prosecutor’s office about the possibility of criminal behavior by Mraz and Giertych, suggesting that the secrecy of the investigation might be breached. The defense teams for the detainees also want to know whether Mraz’s own defenders have been granted explicit authorization by the National Public Prosecution Service to reveal confidential aspects of the case.
claims of unfair treatment
A further contentious point concerns access to the interrogation records of the so‑called repentant former head of the Justice Fund. Lawyers for the defense describe these files as being subject to censorship during exchanges with the defense team, sometimes to what they perceive as an extreme degree. From the outset of the probe, Father Michał Olszewski and the officials detained with him have faced what many describe as uneven treatment, particularly when contrasted with the high‑profile appearances by Mraz alongside Roman Giertych. The very act of arrest is seen by many as a signal intended to intimidate political circles, not only within Poland. The account given by Father Olszewski about the first hours after his detention, as reported by the weekly magazine Sieci, lends support to that perception. Public remarks by Prime Minister Donald Tusk toward journalists are cited by some as reinforcing this impression, though such statements are subject to interpretation in the broader political debate.
WB
Source: wPolityce