Dominik Tarczyński, a Law and Justice politician, promised a new sports hall in Kielce in 2016. It happened moments after the city’s handball team achieved historic success and became the best team in Europe. Even though seven years have passed since Tarczyński’s promise, there is no new sports facility in the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. – He is perfidious and a coward because he avoided repeated requests for a meeting, he does not come to the matches, he won his way – says one of the fans. Material from the “#BezKitu Campaign” program on TVN24.
In 2016, the Kielce team won the Champions League for the first time in history, thus becoming the best team in Europe. In the final he defeated the Hungarian Veszprem. The team from Kielce defeated the great team from Paris – PSG – in the semi-finals.
When there was a celebration in Kielce to celebrate the historic success, and it was easy to warm up in the glow of the stars, Dominik Tarczyński, then MP from Law and Justice, entered the stage of champions. Tarczyński was elected as an MP of the 8th term from the district covering Kielce.
Dominik Tarczyński about the new hall in Kielce
– We are stronger, bigger than Paris and we deserve a 15,000-seat arena and it will be like that, I promise – said the PiS politician then. – (…) we will start construction by the end of the term in which I am an MP – assured Dominik Tarczyński. The 8th term of office of the Sejm expired in 2019.
Dominik TarczyńskiAlbert Zawada/PAP
Mr. Robert, a fan of the Kielce team, was a few meters from the stage during the victorious celebration and remembers the words exactly PiS MP, because the new arena is a dream for the inhabitants of Kielce. – Behaving badly, from today’s point of view, he promised many thousands of people from the stage, and hundreds of thousands of fans, that he would help them with money to come to Kielce and build this arena – says Robert Kita in an interview with TVN24.
Opposition politicians from Świętokrzyskie wanted to help Dominik Tarczyński fulfill his promise. Three years after the PiS politician’s declaration, MPs from the Civic Coalition (KO) submitted an amendment to the state budget, guaranteeing PLN 20 million for the construction of a new facility.
– I knew it would not be enough, but I knew that the item in the budget would allow MP Tarczyński or others to seek additional money, so that it would also allow MP Tarczyński to show off – points out Artur Gierada, KO MP. The amendment was ultimately rejected because it did not receive the support of the majority of MPs.
The hall was never built
PiS MP Anna Krupka, deputy minister of sport and tourism, when asked whether a politician can make empty promises, replies: “of course not.” Krupka was also elected to the Sejm from the Kielce constituency.
– He is perfidious and a coward because he avoided repeated requests for a meeting, he does not come to the matches, he won his match because he won. Why did he do it? The elections to the European Parliament were approaching, says Robert Kita. Dominik Tarczyński was elected to the European Parliament, also with the votes of the inhabitants of Kielce. He took up his mandate in 2020 after Britain left the European Union.
Seven years after the PiS politician’s promise, there is still no new sports facility in the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. The TVN24 editorial team tried to ask Dominik Tarczyński whether he regrets this promise. After hearing the question about the arena in Kielce, the PiS politician hung up.
– It was indeed, perhaps under the influence of emotions, but that is no excuse for anyone – notes Artur Gierada. – Promises or decisions that someone makes when coming out, taking the microphone, he can promise anything, the question is then the implementation – echoes Bogdan Wenta, president of Kielce and former coach of the Polish national handball team.
Main photo source: Albert Zawada/PAP