The move follows a report published by the Polish news website onet.pl, alleging Karol Nawrocki's connections to convicted criminals and neo-Nazi circles.
'Deep manipulation'
Nawrocki, who heads the state-run Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) and is running for the presidency with the support of the opposition conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, has dismissed the allegations as "deep manipulation” combining "truths, half-truths and outright lies."
Michał Szczerba and Dariusz Joński, prominent politicians with the governing centrist-liberal Civic Coalition (KO), told reporters on Monday that someone with such alleged connections should neither lead the IPN nor run for president.
They questioned why PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński, reportedly aware of the report’s contents, chose to back Nawrocki.
Szczerba described the issue as "extremely serious" because it concerns “a candidate aspiring to the highest office in the land.”
Alleged ties to convicts, motorcycle gangs, neo-Nazis
The report, which onet.pl says was commissioned by figures within PiS aiming to undermine Nawrocki, details his alleged associations with convicted criminals, including members of motorcycle gangs with neo-Nazi ties.
It names individuals such as "Olgierd L., convicted of crimes including pimping and assault," and "Grzegorz H., linked to the outlawed neo-Nazi organization Blood and Honour."
The report suggests these connections stem from Nawrocki’s past involvement in boxing and social activities in the Baltic city of Gdańsk.
Nawrocki has denied the accusations, saying that some of the individuals mentioned in the report are people he encountered during professional activities, such as resocialization programs in prisons or at boxing gyms.
Karol Nawrocki, who heads the state-run Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) and is running for the presidency with the support of the opposition conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, has dismissed the allegations as "deep manipulation” combining "truths, half-truths and outright lies." Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
KO lawmakers plan to scrutinize Nawrocki’s tenure as director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk, from 2017 to 2021, focusing on the groups granted access to the museum and related facilities.
They intend to request documentation on agreements made during this time and have called on the museum’s current director to provide records.
Additionally, they will submit requests to prosecutors to investigate the criminal groups mentioned in the report for potential violations of Polish law, which bans the promotion of totalitarian ideologies, such as Nazism and fascism.
'Dirty election strategy': opposition party spokesman
In response, PiS spokesman Rafał Bochenek dismissed the allegations as "a smear campaign orchestrated by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his allies."
Bochenek referred to the accusations as part of a "dirty election strategy."
Despite the controversy, the PiS leadership formally endorsed Nawrocki’s candidacy over the weekend for the 2025 presidential election.
The endorsement and subsequent backlash are expected to dominate political discourse as the election approaches.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP