Telephones, stick, carrot and “pressure”. Head of the special team investigating Ziobro's prosecutor's office

The National Prosecutor's Office has published a partial report on the audit of proceedings during the period of the United Right government in 2016-2023. The objections concern, among others, the following matters: “the two towers”, Beata Szydło's accident, the Kwaśniewski villa and the Lotos Group.

READ ALSO: How did Ziobro's prosecutor's office work? There is a partial report

In addition to the finding of 163 proceedings with significant irregularities, 35 applications for criminal or disciplinary liability were submitted. It was also noted that 14 criminal proceedings have already been initiated and are ongoing. Four official proceedings are also ongoing.

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Katarzyna Kwiatkowska, the chairwoman of the special team and director of the Department of Preparatory Proceedings, spoke more about this report in the “Tak jest” program on TVN24.

– File research shows that in many proceedings, reference prosecutors were pressured by their bosses, most often regional prosecutors – she continued. She mentioned, among others, the former head of the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Gdańsk, who – as Kwiatkowska pointed out – “in various investigations tried to press both for the speed of issuing a decision to present charges, for detentions, for sending applications for temporary arrest, but, for example, in the case of molestation of a minor girl there was also interference with the content of the procedural decision itself.

The latter case concerns an investigation into the son of the former president of TVP, Jacek Kurski, who allegedly sexually abused a minor in the past.

The investigation was discontinued twice and – as the spokesman for the National Prosecutor's Office informed in December – a recently conducted audit showed “a number of irregularities” there. The prosecutor conducting the audit “notified the National Prosecutor's Office of the suspicion of abuse of powers and failure to fulfill obligations by the prosecutors conducting and supervising the proceedings.”

Let us recall – on January 9, the Minister of Justice and the Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar decided by Fr suspension of the prosecutor of the National Prosecutor's Office, Teresa Rutkowska-Szmydyńska for six months. It was justified that he made such a decision “taking into account the nature and importance of the disclosed irregularities.” They indicate “the possibility of committing a serious disciplinary offense with a high degree of social and corporate harmfulness.” It was Rutkowska-Szmydyńska who served as the regional prosecutor in Gdańsk for several years.

READ ALSO: “I was a little child then.” The prosecutor's office is investigating the case of Jacek Kurski's son

– Another case was investigated in connection with this case, this time initiated by Mr. Jacek Kurski himself, who believed that the girl's father had made illegal threats towards him, consisting in taking advantage of the situation and trying to get his son convicted of something, which did not happen – explained Kwiatkowska.

She said that the case reported by Kurski had been investigated by the prosecutor's office for over four years. – In my opinion, this investigation was dragged on because they were afraid of making a decision that would be unfavorable for Mr. Kurski – she added.

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Prosecutor Kwiatkowska was asked whether the team she led managed to find evidence that Zbigniew Ziobroduring the times of government PIS Attorney General and Minister of Justice, pressed prosecutors on specific cases.

– Generally, the prosecutor's office operated on the principle that the entire staff in managerial positions was replaced and some phone calls from either the national prosecutor or the prosecutor general to lower staff (to people in lower positions – ed.) were enough – she replied.

Kwiatkowska admitted that she hoped that if there were criminal or disciplinary proceedings, regional prosecutors, who may have been under pressure, would report it themselves. – I hope that the criminal and disciplinary proceedings that will be initiated will also lead to a situation in which regional prosecutors – unless they want to take the blame themselves – will perhaps speak up – she continued.

The Director of the Department of Preparatory Proceedings also assessed that all proceedings related to the death of his father were “unprecedented use of the prosecutor's office by Zbigniew Ziobro himself.” She said she counted eight proceedings in this case.

– The costs incurred so far by the State Treasury, i.e. all of us, amount to PLN 880,000. I don't know if an ordinary citizen who has doubts about the circumstances of the death of his loved one could benefit from foreign opinions (…) and a very detailed examination of the death of his loved one – she admitted.

Prosecutor Kwiatkowska also summarized the work of the team she leads so far.

– Out of the 200 cases examined, only three prosecutors impressed me with their courage and respect for independence. This is very little, (…). Prosecutors, apart from these three, complied and did what they were asked to do, she said.

– During the examination, I also paid attention to who these cases were assigned – most often to prosecutors on delegation. Because they do not have a stable professional situation, and this method, which Mr. Święczkowski always talked about (Bogdan, currently the president of the Constitutional Tribunal, and previously the national prosecutor – ed.) Święczkowski, of sticks and carrots, worked positively – said prosecutor Kwiatkowska.