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Nawrocki's campaign under scrutiny after CBA raid links to Piesiewicz associates

25.04.2025 17:00
Following a CBA anti-corruption raid at the Polish Olympic Committee, Sports Minister Sławomir Nitras questioned why associates of its head Radosław Piesiewicz are taking part in the campaign team of PiS-backed presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki.
Sports Minister Sławomir Nitras (left) questioned why individuals from the circle of Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz are involved in the campaign team of Karol Nawrocki, the PiS-backed candidate, following an anti-corruption raid at the Committees headquarters.
Sports Minister Sławomir Nitras (left) questioned why individuals from the circle of Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz are involved in the campaign team of Karol Nawrocki, the PiS-backed candidate, following an anti-corruption raid at the Committee’s headquarters.Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell/Adam Warżawa/

"The names of close associates of President Piesiewicz from the Polish Olympic Committee’s board can be found on Karol Nawrocki’s honorary campaign committee. The question for his team is - what will they do if Nawrocki becomes president? Will they continue to protect this clique?" commented Sławomir Nitras in a video shared by Oko.press via X (formerly Twitter).

The comment referred to an April 24 raid, reported by Radio Poland, during which the CBA searched 16 locations in central Warsaw, southern Katowice, and northern Gdańsk. The sites included the headquarters of the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOl), the Polish Basketball Association (PZKosz), and properties linked to Piesiewicz. The investigation focuses on suspected fraudulent VAT invoices.

Olympic Committee probe puts spotlight on Nawrocki campaign

Nitras accused Piesiewicz of diverting public funds into private accounts and said he believed criminal charges were inevitable. He also criticised the presence of Piesiewicz’s allies in Nawrocki’s campaign team.

The row spilled into Parliament, where Nitras clashed with PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński. He called the system “thieving” and said it was robbing Polish athletes. Kaczyński condemned the remarks and challenged Nitras to repeat them without parliamentary immunity - saying the minister would then have to prove a link between Piesiewicz and himself in court.

Nitras replied by calling Kaczyński “the capo di tutti capi of the entire PiS mafia.”

Read more about this topic:

Polish sports officials targeted in VAT fraud investigation

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Source: Radio Poland/IAR/X/@oko_press/@videoparlament