UPDATE: PiS government allowed Russian citizens to enter the EU even after the Ukraine war
NIK accuses the PiS government of showing little concern over who received Polish visas or how they were granted. Consuls were reportedly pressured to issue work permits to foreigners on a mass scale, without any priorities regarding their education or professional qualifications.
The article points out that seven NIK auditors, in their 300-page report, identified four foreign ministers appointed by PiS as responsible: Witold Waszczykowski, Jacek Czaputowicz, Zbigniew Rau, and Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, who held the position for just two weeks.
NIK report reveals lax oversight in visa issuance by the previous government in Poland
NIK's report highlights that the government showed little interest in who was receiving Polish visas or the process by which they were being granted. Consuls were allegedly pressured to issue work permits to foreigners without setting priorities related to their qualifications or education.
According to Gazeta Wyborcza, NIK auditors blamed four PiS-appointed foreign ministers: Witold Waszczykowski, Jacek Czaputowicz, Zbigniew Rau, and Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, who held the office for two weeks.
PM Tusk: NIK report confirms our worst fears
“When Polish soldiers and border guards were risking their health and lives to protect us from the wave of illegal migration orchestrated by Putin and Lukashenko, the PiS government allowed 366,000 people from Asia and Africa to enter, many of them for bribes.
The NIK report confirms our worst fears,” commented Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on social media in response to the Wyborcza article.
FM Sikorski: Poland tightens visa rules and develops new migration strategy amid scandal
Poland's top diplomat, Radosław Sikorski, who is currently on a visit to the United States, also addressed the issue. The Minister recalled that prior to the release of the NIK report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had compiled a detailed report outlining the visa scandal.
Based on this document, the head of the Polish Foreign Ministry was able to implement entirely new guidelines for Polish consuls, curbing the practice of issuing visas to individuals without documented qualifications.
“We are not yielding to lobbyists. We are working on a migration control strategy and new legislation,” emphasized the Foreign Minister.
Source: IAR/Gazeta Wyborcza/NIK
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