Andrzej Morozowski’s guests in “Tak jest” were the Minister of Digital Affairs and PiS MP-elect Janusz Cieszyński and the Civic Coalition MP Dariusz Joński. They discussed, among other things, responsibility for purchasing respirators from an arms dealer. In 2020, the Ministry of Health purchased equipment that could not be used for approximately PLN 160 million. The seller was supposedly “recommended by the then management of the Intelligence Agency,” said Cieszyński, former deputy minister of health.
Janusz Cieszyński, former deputy minister of health, was responsible for purchases at the ministry when ventilators were ordered for approximately PLN 160 million. When asked by a TVN24 journalist whether he was afraid of being held accountable for this matter after the new government came to power, he replied that he was waiting for “an objective arbitrator who will decide the matter.” He also assured that if the case goes to court, he will waive his immunity.
– I wanted to say something important. If this matter is raised and goes to court, I will waive my immunity. I said it during the campaign and now again, said Cieszyński.
He added that the person who sold the respirators was recommended by “the then management of the Intelligence Agency.”
– This man was recommended by the then management of the Intelligence Agency. This is (recorded – ed.) in the Supreme Audit Office’s report (…) Moreover, every contractor who came to the Ministry of Health was verified by Central Anticorruption Bureau. Positive verification of this contractor was also at our disposal before signing any contract – said Cieszyński.
Dariusz Joński and Janusz CieszyńskiTVN24
Joński: I guarantee that the issue of respirators will be settled
Dariusz Joński regarding the purchase of respirators from an arms dealer, he conducted parliamentary inspections at the Ministry of Health. – This situation shows the state PIS in a nutshell. At a time when the state was in a time of trial and should function properly, a man comes along who has never sold respirators before. He previously traded in explosives. Mr. (Cieszyński – ed.) accepts it and the money comes the same day. He didn’t even pay VAT. What is interesting, he (the trader – ed.) did not do business only with the Ministry of Health. He sold the same respirators twice to KGHM – said Joński on Wednesday in “Tak jest”.
– I guarantee that the issue of respirators, masks, face shields and temporary hospitals will be settled. We want to create a future independent prosecutor’s office that will not sweep cases under the carpet, Joński assured.
An arms dealer sold respirators to the Ministry of Health in 2020
Under the agreement concluded with the Ministry of Health in April 2020 the arms dealer was supposed to deliver 1,241 respirators. The ministry immediately transferred an advance payment of EUR 35 million (approximately PLN 160 million) to the accounts of a small company, E&K, specializing in arms trade and organizing transports from hard-to-reach regions of the world.
Ultimately, Andrzej Izdebski from E&K did not fulfill the contract: he did not deliver a thousand respirators and did not settle the amount of almost PLN 50 million. This amount includes unreturned advance payments, contractual penalties and interest. In July, tvn24.pl reported the death of the trader. The businessman’s body – as reported – was found on June 20 in an apartment in Tirana, the capital Albania. He was going to die of a heart attack.