Hearing of Barbara Skrzypek, actions of prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek. Adam Bodnar comments

The Minister of Justice referred in “Facts after Facts” on TVN24 to the matter of the death of Barbara Skrzypek, a long -time associate of the president PIS Jarosław Kaczyńskiwho died three days after she was questioned in the prosecutor's office as a witness in the investigation of Srebrna.

The leader of this hearing prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek announced that she had received criminal threats and therefore received protection.

The Minister of Justice said it was “unpleasant that the circumstances of this death are combined with the prosecutor's proceedings.”

– Death occurred three days after the interrogation. Moreover, after the interrogation itself, there was no information, any objections regarding the procedure. I have the impression that a story is created, a narrative that is about to undermine confidence in the prosecutor's office, to state institutions, but in general – I have an impression – to challenge everything that is happening in Poland now, i.e. the process of explaining various abuse in the times of Law and Justice – he continued.

Ewa Wrzosek Bodnar recognized as “one of those brave” prosecutors who decided to deal with the matter regarding the action of PiS politicians.

Asked who exactly made the decision to entrust her with the conduct of this proceeding, he replied: – In this situation it is the decision of the District Prosecutor in Warsaw and of course this is the case that the National Prosecutor also knew about.

Asked whether he had an impact on this decision, he replied: – I try to act in such a way as not to indicate which prosecutor is to deal with some matter, (…). Of course I receive such information, but I receive it when she is already taken.

– I think that what is decisive (when assigning matters – ed.) Is simply the professionalism of the prosecutor, whether the prosecutor is an experienced person prepared to handle these matters – continued the head of the Ministry of Justice. Bodnar also stated that prosecutor Wrzosek “has many years of procedural experience”. “I don't see any restrictions here that would make it not deal with such a matter,” he added.

Bodnar was also asked about the lack of consent of Wrzosek to make the representative of Barbara Skrzypek participate in the interrogation. – In this case, the prosecutor had the right to make such, but also another decision. Here is a completely different situation than interrogating someone as a witness in a situation where this person could become a suspect later – he said.

At the same time, he added that “it would be worth considering changing the provision so that there was no doubt in the future.” It is Article 87 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which on the one hand assumes that a person who is not a party to the proceedings may appear at the interrogation with the proxy, but on the other hand the prosecutor may conclude that this is not in the interest of that person and disagree with the presence of a representative.

Bodnar also referred to the situation from the demonstration of PiS politicians before the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, organized after the death of the violinist. They shouted words such as “pest”, “sociopatka” or “insolent woman”. At one of the recordings you can hear MEP Jacek Ozdoba says “I pushes her”, although the MEP did not indicate who he meant.

Bodnar reminded that He sent a letter to the chairwoman of the European Parliament Roberta MetSola on this event with the participation of decorations.

– I think that a European Parliament MP not only represents himself, but represents us all and should behave in accordance with some basic ethical standards. The call to violence, or very offensive, even vulgar words at the address of a person at a public official, which is the prosecutor, does not fit the MP to the European Parliament – Bodnar assessed.

– I believe that in such a situation explanatory proceedings should be initiated, ethical proceedings under the property of the European Parliament. Hence the letter to the chairwoman of MetSoli – he explained.

– I am not sure if this is a case for criminal proceedings, because it is a bit like we try to go to the prosecutor's office with every other case, and maybe sometimes we forget that there are just such procedures that are also pusher, while in my opinion, in my opinion, more appropriate to assess this type of behavior – said Prosecutor General.

Barbara Skrzypek was a member of the board of the Institute Lech Kaczyńskiwhich is a key shareholder of the Srebrna company. In the 1980s, in the times of the Polish People's Republic, she worked at the Office of the Council of Ministers alongside four premieres of the Polish People's Republic: Józef Pińkowski, Wojciech JaruzelskiZbigniew Messner and Mieczysław Rakowski.

PiS politicians, including the party leader Jarosław Kaczyński, believe that there is a relationship between the interrogation of the violinist and her death. According to Gazeta Wyborcza, the testimonies of the violinist in the prosecutor's office were “uncomfortable” for Jarosław Kaczyński. The PiS president talked to her by phone after interrogation. He informed about the fact that this conversation occurred after her death.

Prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek assured that the witness and her representative did not submit comments on the course of the interrogation and that it took place in a friendly atmosphere. The District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, as well as prosecutor Wrzosek, announced legal steps to people suggesting that there was a relationship between the interrogation and the death of Barbara Skrzypek.