Karol Nawrocki, PiS candidate for president, as director of the Museum of the Second World War, used a luxurious apartment in the museum hotel complex for over half a year – “Gazeta Wyborcza” found out. She wrote that Nawrocki never paid for the stay and his house was located about five kilometers from this place. The spokeswoman of Nawrocki's campaign, as well as the deputy director of the museum, commented on the matter.
Karol Nawrocki, as the director of the Museum of the Second World War, used the Deluxe apartment in the museum hotel complex for over half a year. He did not pay for the stay – “Gazeta Wyborcza” reported in Monday's publication.
On January 10, 2025, in response to questions from “Gazeta Wyborcza”, the current management of the Museum of the Second World War in GdaÅ„sk wrote: “Director Karol Nawrocki used the DELUX apartment (116 m2) and in three cases a double room. The documentation held by the Museum does not indicate the purpose or nature of the stay. Director Karol Nawrocki did not pay for the stay at the hotel.
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197 days in the apartment, did not pay a penny
“Gazeta Wyborcza” reported that the email was attached to “a detailed list of reservations made by the presidential candidate supported by PiS.” “The results show that initially Nawrocki was satisfied with a double room. In 2018, he booked it twice for weekends, and once for the night from Monday to Tuesday. Since October 9, 2018, the director – with one exception, when he returns to the room – switches the above-mentioned apartment. Two-level, fully equipped, 116 sq m of space,” we read in the publication.
“Gazeta Wyborcza” reported that 15 reservations were made by October 3, 2020, including two weekend reservations. “From October 4, 2020 to April 1, 2021, we have a series of reservations interrupted only by Christmas (December 24-28, 2021),” the daily wrote.
According to the newspaper's findings, “in total, Nawrocki booked 19 stays in 2018-20, and as many as 182 in 2020-21.” “A total of 201 days, including 197 in the apartment,” it was summarized.
The article shows that Nawrocki did not pay “a penny” for his hotel stay when he was director. “With the maximum discount (80%), the 'employee' price for all reservations would amount to approximately PLN 25,600, and with a 40% discount – PLN 51,200. Commercially – over PLN 120,000” – calculated. “GW” added that Nawrocki's house is located about five kilometers from the Museum.
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Response from Nawrocki's spokeswoman
“Gazeta Wyborcza” reported that Emilia Wierzbicki, spokeswoman for his campaign, answered journalists' questions on Nawrocki's behalf. Wierzbicki emphasized that “the rooms and apartments in the Museum of the Second World War were not created to be commercialized and made available for rent by tourists visiting GdaÅ„sk.”
“The assumption was that this space was to be used by the staff, including the Museum management, who worked in GdaÅ„sk but lived outside it,” we read.
The spokeswoman added that Nawrocki, as the director of the Museum, “decided to equip the apartments and rooms, create a hotel part and commercialize it so that the funds from the sale of accommodation would support the Museum's budget.” In response, Wierzbicki said that the “ad hoc use” of the rooms by then director Nawrocki “was related to the performance of official duties, was never long-term and did not last continuously.” The spokeswoman emphasized that Nawrocki “never used the room for personal reasons.”
The spokeswoman wrote that the period mentioned in the article coincides with the pandemic COVID-19when “there were regulations excluding accommodation facilities in whole or in part from commercial circulation.” “During this period, Nawrocki used the room twice when he was in quarantine, and at the same time, he performed formal duties here every day as the director of the Museum of the Second World War,” Wierzbicki said.
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Clarifying questions
“Gazeta Wyborcza” added that after receiving the first answer from Nawrocki's campaign spokeswoman, it sent clarifying questions.
Wierzbicki replied that “perhaps during the pandemic, when the accommodation part was excluded from commercial use, the room was formally reserved by the Museum unit responsible for the hotel part, but the then director never used it for 180 days,” the spokeswoman said, adding that Nawrocki “never stayed in the accommodation longer than the quarantine period.”
Deputy Director of the Museum: Let's explain. No decisions have been made
A tvn24.pl journalist talked to the deputy director of the museum, Janusz Marszalec. – This is a new case for us, we are at the stage of investigation. No decisions have been made as to whether and what actions we will take in this regard, he said.
PAP, Gazeta Wyborcza, tvn24.pl
Main photo source: PAP/Piotr Polak