Dariusz Wieczorek about the University of Szczecin and his wife's job: there is no deal

WP journalists wrote that she was the wife of the Minister of Science and Higher Education Dariusz Wieczorek – Beata Mikołajewska-Wieczorek – became the director of the Center for Media Education and Interactivity at the University of Szczecin. Journalists paid attention to the calendar of eventsthat preceded her being awarded this position.

As reported, in January, the rector's wife was appointed by Wieczorek as a member of the Science Evaluation Committee. In February, the rector changed the regulations, which since then allowed the minister's wife to become a director. On September 1, the rector received a raise, and on September 26, Mikołajewska-Wieczorek became the director of the Center.

Minister Wieczorek was asked about this matter in “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24. He argued that the description of events presented by WP “absolutely does not match.” – I must admit that I read it with great disgust – he added. – Apart from the fact that this is slandering my family, my wife, the rector's wife, it is also a matter of freely establishing some facts and drawing conclusions from them – he said.

The host of the program, Piotr Kraśko, asked about the dates quoted by Wirtualna Polska. He asked whether it was OK that the rector's wife was appointed by Minister Wieczorek in January as a member of the Science Evaluation Committee.

The TVN24 guest replied that “in January, the professor was appointed a member of the Science Evaluation Committee due to the fact that she had served on this committee since 2016.” – Therefore, suggesting that this is some kind of related transaction is simply a lie and insinuation – he said.

The next question was whether it was true that the rector changed the regulations in February. – I don't know that – replied Wieczorek.

– This is again an attempt to involve me in something that is done by the university senate and university bodies. I supervise 350 universities. I really don't analyze every resolution that comes up at this university, he continued. In his opinion, “again this is suggesting that I have some influence on what the university will do.”

Wieczorek was asked whether he agreed that the university's rector received a raise on September 1. – Again, a lie – said the minister. When asked whether there was no raise, he replied that “the rector of the University of Szczecin should receive a raise from January 1, 2024.” He recalled that at that time, 30 percent raises for academic staff were introduced.

– The rector, like several other rectors, said: no, I do not want this raise from January 1. Due to the difficult situation of the university, (..) there are rector elections, we will see whether I will become rector or not. The rector has not received a 30 percent raise since January 1, the head of the Ministry of Science continued. He admitted after a while that he received it on “September 1”.

When asked whether he agreed that his wife took the lead of the Media Education Center on September 26, he replied: – I don't know if it was September 26. However, she has been an employee of this university for four years, she was a deputy director in this institution, she created this institution.

– So again, it is an understatement that suddenly someone from outside becomes the director of this institution – he said. – Can you, Mr. Editor, connect these events together? Because I have the impression that each of them is separate. If someone today wants to draw conclusions, as in this Wirtualna Polska article, that this is some kind of deal, it is really an exaggeration – added Wieczorek.

– It cannot be that because I hold a public office, my family cannot fulfill their ambitions and cannot work normally. This is simply unfair. (…) I treat this text as absolute manipulation – he said.

The TVN24 guest argued that the WP article “suggests that there is some cause and effect relationship between these things.” – There is no connection. The minister does not deal with resolutions of the senate of the University of Szczecin or any other university. I have no influence on what decisions the university authorities make, he said.

– This is a text that is supposed to suggest that there is some deal with the rector of the University of Szczecin. I look the editor straight in the eye and you straight in the eye. There is no deal, he assured.