For several weeks a major waste scandal has engulfed Warsaw City Hall, ranking as the largest since the reprivatization controversy. More individuals have been detained, and the capital’s mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, faces calls to urgently convene a city council meeting. This stance was echoed by Sebastian Kaleta, deputy head of the Ministry of Justice and a member of Solidarna Polska, during a Sejm press conference.
Authorities with the Central Anti-Craud Bureau (CBA) have detained the former finance minister from the PO-PSL government, Włodzimierz K., who currently serves as secretary for Warsaw.
Stanisław Żaryn, Secretary of State in the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, commented on the development.
Irregularities in the capital’s city hall
Speaking at a Sejm press briefing, Solidarna Polska MPs Sebastian Kaleta and Jacek Dekora, both former city councillors, highlighted concerns about the case. Kaleta described Włodzimierz K. as the right-hand man of Warsaw’s president and noted that he oversees the city’s largest economic department, responsible for waste management.
Kaleta noted that in 2021 his environment department warned authorities about irregular waste management in Warsaw, and that Trzaskowski was informed that several matters warranted closer scrutiny.
Kaleta added that the matter extends beyond waste management and touches on money laundering, VAT irregularities, and the operations of an organized crime group.
Trzaskowski’s suspicious circle
Questions were raised about the presence of Trzaskowski and Civic Platform figures in the issue. Dekora pressed for answers to a simple question: whether corruption or bribes are attached to the capital’s waste charges.
Kaleta stated that the waste scandal has been unfolding for weeks, marking it as the most significant since previous political upheavals in the city.
The question remains whether Trzaskowski has effectively managed Warsaw City Hall. Kaleta argued that when Trzaskowski became mayor, a two-person household paid 20 PLN for waste disposal, and today the fee stands at 85 PLN.
Rather than tackling waste management reform, Kaleta claimed, the mayor brought in Platform party figures to oversee Warsaw’s waste operations, resulting in higher charges and ongoing allegations of corruption.
Kaleta urged Trzaskowski to call a Warsaw Council session immediately to address the situation, invite councilors, and authorize checks at the offices responsible for waste and at the municipal processing company.
He noted that more arrests were underway and lamented that Trzaskowski had not acted to deter them, asserting that this demonstrated a failure to lead Warsaw effectively.
Kaleta also posted a recording on his Twitter account featuring statements from Bronisław Komorowski and Donald Tusk regarding detainee Włodzimierz K. Komorowski spoke of Włodek’s character and professionalism as a shield against difficulties, while Tusk called for a firm and decisive approach where necessary.
Stanisław Żaryn, Secretary of State at the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, stated that Włodzimierz K. is a suspect in a broader investigation that also involves former deputy finance minister Rafał Baniak. Other individuals, including Artur P., Wojciech S., and Waldemar K., were arrested earlier this year and face charges for contracts worth hundreds of millions with the Municipal Cleaning Company in Warsaw.
Baniak was investigated by the Silesian department of the Public Prosecutor’s Office over allegations of leading an organized criminal group and influence peddling. He and two businessmen were detained for three months. His lawyer stated that Baniak did not admit to the alleged actions.