On Thursday, Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia commented on the decision of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Dariusz Wieczorek, to resign from his position. – Taking this matter any further would lead to severe tensions between the coalition partners – said Hołownia. The leader of Poland 2050 also referred to the situation of MPs and spouses Arkadiusz Myrcha and Kinga Gajewska.
Minister of Science and Higher Education from the Left, Dariusz Wieczorek announced on Thursday that he was resigning from office. The decision was commented on by the Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia (Poland 2050 – Third Way)
When asked whether, as a co-leader of the coalition, he expected such a solution from the minister Eveningreplied “yes” and added that “continuing this matter would lead to very severe tensions between the coalition partners.”
– It's good that both leaders – Mr Włodzimierz Czarzasty and the Prime Minister Donald Tusk – and Minister Wieczorek showed such maturity that they put an end to it and solved the matter – said the Marshal of the Sejm.
– The minister's resignation is a fact. We have the matter settled and closed, added Hołownia.
Housing allowances of MPs Myrcha and Gajewska
When asked why Minister Wieczorek had to leave the government and Deputy Minister Arkadiusz Myrcha (KO) was still defended, he replied that in his opinion “these are a different matter.”
MP and Deputy Minister of Justice Arkadiusz Myrcha and his MP wife Kinga Gajewska received separate housing allowances for renting a flat in Warsaw, despite living together. The MP also stayed interviewed as a witness in connection with suspicion of committing a crime. The prosecutor's office is investigating whether the declaration of assets submitted by Kinga Gajewska was true.
– These matters related to asset declarations are also the area we deal with in the Sejm. They are now under special supervision of both the services and the prosecutor's office (…) – said the marshal.
Szymon Hołownia said that if “the facts and omissions” in this case are confirmed by the prosecutor's office (…), “we will draw consequences from it.” In his opinion, “for now we have heard that there is suspicion.”
– I understand that the prosecutor's office is working on it, and perhaps the Ethics Committee will also work on it, so that the explanation of these facts can be found in an official form (…) and then we will have material for further work – he added.
Read also: Two additions, one apartment for a parliamentary couple. The Chancellery of the Sejm comments
Main photo source: PAP/Tomasz Gzell