When the National Prosecutor's Office prepares an arrest warrant for him, he himself wants a safe conduct. If the court grants permission, the former president of the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves, Michał K., will not be arrested, but in return he will have to make a statement that he will appear in court or before the prosecutor on a specified date. Paweł Szopa, the owner of a clothing company, who supplied the agency during K.'s time, also applied for a safe conduct. Both are suspected of participating in an organized crime group.
There will be a complaint against the decision on arrest, there will be an application for a safe conduct – announces Michał K.'s lawyer.
“It turned out that the only decision that could be made was arrest, even though my principal was at the disposal of the CBA and the prosecutor's office for nine months, responding to their letters (…) The defense will make efforts to have the District Court issue a safe conduct,” announces Luka Szaranowicz, attorney for Michał K.
A safe conduct means that the accused would remain free until sentenced in exchange for an assurance that he will appear when summoned.
Where are Michał K. and Paweł Szopa?
The prosecutor's office wants to pursue the former president of the strategic reserves agency with an arrest warrant, but they couldn't even file charges against him because they have no contact with him. Michał K. is probably abroad. The court has already agreed to this arrest warrant.
– The arrest warrant will appear immediately after the prosecutor's office receives the original decision from the court – says Przemysław Nowak, spokesman for the National Prosecutor's Office.
We ask Law and Justice politicians where Michał K. is, because he is Mateusz Morawiecki's man. – I do not have current contact with the former RARS president, so I do not know this – says Piotr Mueller, former spokesman for Mateusz Morawiecki's government and MEP for Law and Justice.
– I last saw Michał K. at the beginning of the holidays. He was going somewhere for work and holiday purposes, so I don't know where he is at the moment. However, for the previous seven months he was there – says Michał Dworczyk, former head of the Prime Minister's Office and MEP of Law and Justice.
Charges against former president of the Government Agency for Strategic ReservesTVN24
The National Prosecutor's Office is trying to bring charges not only against the former head of the agency, but also against Paweł Szopa, a manufacturer of patriotic clothing.
At Szopa's RARS made gigantic purchases without tenders. And it wasn't about T-shirts at all, but masks or power generators. The latter – as Onet wrote recently – Paweł Szopa was supposed to sell to the agency for five times more than he bought it himself. And in three years he was supposed to do business with the agency for half a billion zlotys.
– Firstly, we are talking about participation in an organised criminal group and secondly: an official offence, i.e. exceeding one's authority and failing to fulfil one's duties – informs Przemysław Nowak.
The prosecutor's office prefers not to talk about the details, so that the parties involved can first learn about the exact charges. The second party involved – Paweł Szopa – is also abroad. And his lawyer is also demanding a safe conduct.
– Mr Paweł Szopa knew about the ongoing proceedings since December, he was in Poland, was available to the prosecutor's office and was not hiding – emphasizes Bartosz Lewandowski, Paweł Szopa's attorney.
Today, the current government says it directly: – Today we see that the prosecutor's office is starting to take action against the closest people of former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who is defending them today only because they were his collaborators – comments the Minister for Equality from the Left, Katarzyna Kotula.
From a scout to an agency president earning twice as much as the prime minister
Michał K., thanks to the former prime minister, went from being a scout to the president of an agency earning twice as much as the head of government. And now the former prime minister is standing behind him.
– I am absolutely convinced of his honesty – assures former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Law and Justice talks about political theater and a smear campaign against Morawiecki's people.
– After all, Donald Tusk said directly a few days or weeks ago that the prosecutor's office would take action in this case. So I ask: who is ordering what to whom here? If Donald Tusk is ordering Bodnar, and Bodnar is then ordering his prosecutors, then that is exactly the scenario I see – assesses Piotr Mueller.
– What is Mr. Michał K. afraid of? If he is innocent, he should appear before the justice system and answer – says Katarzyna Lubnauer, deputy minister of national education from the Civic Coalition.
Bodnar on the actions against Michał K.: this is not an exaggerationTVN24
The former head of the Strategic Reserves Agency started as a scout in the ZHR and one of the organizers of erecting a cross on Krakowskie Przedmieście after the Smolensk disaster.
– Morawiecki was keen to join this right-wing group, because he wanted to make a career, he needed these people. This group later became his political base – says Piotr Gajdziński, writer, publicist and author of the book “Delfin. Mateusz Morawiecki”.
First, Michał K. went to BZ WBK bank. Finally, following Morawiecki, he went to big politics. First to the board of the Polish Armaments Group, and finally became president of the Material Reserves Agency, which was changed to the Government Agency of Strategic Reserves.
– He had no business experience, while Morawiecki needed people whom he put in positions that were not primary – says Piotr Gajdziński.
These were very well-paid positions. Michał K. earned over 40 thousand złoty per month as the president of RARS – more than twice as much as the prime minister of the Polish government.
Multi-million dollar purchases
The agency imported masks, respirators and vaccines during the pandemic. After the change of government, the prosecutor's office began to take an interest in these purchases and who and why received orders for multi-million purchases. Two employees heard charges in this case a month ago.
– We suspect that powers were exceeded, primarily through preferential treatment of some contractors – says Przemysław Nowak.
And here we come back to Paweł Szopa, because he was the one who got a lot of these orders. And during the years of Law and Justice's rule – exceptionally for a private entrepreneur – he was promoted by the president and prime minister himself. Neither of them admitted to this acquaintance.
– My only contact with the Red Is Bad company was actually wearing their clothes, which I have in my wardrobe. I don't hide it – said President Andrzej Duda.
– I was there a few years ago. I bought a T-shirt, like thousands of Poles, or I don't remember what, and that's my acquaintance – explained Mateusz Morawiecki.
Today, it is not only the prosecutor's office that deals with irregularities in the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves. The CBA, the tax office and OLAF – the European office for combating corruption – also work in the agency.
Main image source: Chancellery of the Prime Minister/archive