On Friday at 8 p.m., a speech by Senate President Tomasz Grodzki will be broadcast on TVP and Polish Radio, according to Anna Paradowska-Naturska, the director of the Senate Information Center.
Paradowska-Naturska noted that one topic of the address will be the so-called visa scandal.
What might Grodzki say? The media suggests there could be details revealed to the public:
Grodzki is believed to seek information about irregularities in visa issuance, aiming to inform TVP viewers about aspects that may have drawn limited attention so far.
– reported by Wirtualna Polska.
Social media commentators highlighted a key point.
Wawrzyk faced removal by the ruling party over circumstantial evidence and questions about monitoring the case, without formal charges. Critics suggest the party tends to discard problematic pieces until the chips fall. The upcoming speech will be delivered by a representative from the opposition who, for four years, has faced accusations of avoiding accountability tied to numerous visa decisions. This is seen as a class‑based issue by some observers.
– this summary appeared in a tweet by analyst Max Hübner.
Additionally, the interia portal notes that Grodzki’s previous public address was in February 2021, tied to the “Media without Choice” campaign. This has led some to ask whether Grodzki paused for 2.5 years before speaking amid an election campaign.
The visa scandal: what is known?
Recent reporting by Gazeta Wyborcza indicated Piotr Wawrzyk oversaw consular and visa matters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The paper reported that Wawrzyk drew up a draft regulation easing visas for temporary workers from around twenty countries, including some in predominantly Muslim regions.
On August 31, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki dismissed Piotr Wawrzyk from his post at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing a lack of satisfactory cooperation. A few days later, during a press briefing in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, the prime minister was asked about the dismissal and whether it reflected broader CBA activity. He said an investigation was underway and that agencies would share information as appropriate.
Stanisław Żaryn, Deputy Minister for Special Services Coordination, indicated that signals of irregularities related to visa issuance had reached the CBA in July 2022.
Following this, Zbigniew Rau, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ordered an inspection of the Consular Department and all consular posts, leading to personnel changes including the dismissal of the director of the Legal and Compliance Management Office within the ministry. The government confirmed the personnel decisions related to the case.
During a Friday press briefing, representatives from the United Right political bloc were questioned about what services knew regarding paid protection linked to visa issuance. They stated that action had been taken in advance. One spokesman noted that several hundred visa applications were involved, most of which were rejected early, meaning many people never entered Poland. Critics charged that the issue amounts to a political fabrication for the election season by the opposition and allied media.
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, when questioned in Kielce, stressed that there is currently no proof that Wawrzyk engaged in criminal activity or benefited illegally. He emphasized the need to respect the presumption of innocence while acknowledging that future findings could prompt accountability if warranted.
RELATED READING:
– A detailed interview with Żaryn about the visa matter and the first misperception—that Allies reported it. Investigations based on CBA findings are cited here.
– Ziobro on the visa issue: material suggests broader corruption during a prior administration. A video is available for context.
– Visa decisions reviewed by Minister Rau, including an instance from a period when another minister led the department.
– Questions about potential political gains from the visa issue are discussed by analysts who point to long‑standing systemic problems beyond any single party.
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Source: wPolityce