The scandal at the National Center for Research and Development. National Center for Research and Development, “Fast track” competition. New arrangements, conflict of interest

Last week, members of the Civic Coalition, Michał Szczerba and Dariusz Joński, informed about control they carried out at the National Center for Research and Development (NBCR). Their attention was drawn to two companies that received a total of PLN 178 million in the “Fast Track” competition. As they said, there are “enormous doubts” around these subsidies.

The first application, which MEPs said raised their doubts, was submitted by a 26-year-old. According to information provided by politicians from the Civic Coalition, it was qualified for funding in the amount of PLN 55 million. – On the day of the recruitment announcement, he had no company at all. He founded it during the recruitment process. We checked the share capital – five thousand zlotys – said Joński.

The second company, which raised doubts among politicians during the parliamentary inspection, comes from Białystok. – It was registered in 2020. In 2020, the company’s revenue was PLN 132. In 2021, the revenue is PLN 92,000. This company had a loss of PLN 5,000 in 2020, and PLN 11.5 thousand in 2021. Year after year there was a loss – calculated Szczerba. He indicated that this company received PLN 123 million from the National Center for Research and Development.

On Thursday, MPs from the Civic Coalition presented further arrangements in this matter at a press conference.

Dariusz Joński said that “no one has any doubts that as part of the political loot, because that’s how you should treat what he did PIStransferred supervision over the NCBR to the Republican Party.” – The president is a member of the European Parliament from this formation, Adam Bielan. The vice-president of the Republicans is Jacek Żalek, who is also the deputy minister of funds, who continues to supervise the NCBR – he said.

– First of all, the 26-year-old opens a company during the competition with a capital of 5,000 (PLN) in the headquarters where Adam Bielan’s party previously operated. They say it’s a coincidence, we don’t.

– An entrepreneur who wins PLN 123 million from the NCBR is also in the same association with Żalek’s brother-in-law. They say it’s a coincidence, we say it’s not. The entrepreneur who receives PLN 123 million as part of this competition is in the same association with the person who gets three functions at the National Center for Research and Development. The first is a member of the Council of the National Center for Research and Development. The second is the head of the appeals committee and, after all, he is also responsible for the selection of the new director – he added.

Joński also provided the latest information on this matter. – We refer to the National Court Register, a printout from yesterday. In one company, an entrepreneur who won PLN 123 million from the NCBR was a partner of a person who later became the director of the NCBR Investment Fund. She became that director in January. Ladies and gentlemen, this is also not a coincidence – said Joński.

He said that MPs are submitting a request to NIK. – We are also preparing our application to the prosecutor’s office. We know it came out yesterday Central Anti-Corruption Bureau. We want the proceedings to proceed very quickly and for a criminal complaint to be filed with the prosecutor’s office. We want all connections between politicians and entrepreneurs to be investigated, he said.

Michał Szczerba said that “this case is an obvious, glaring conflict of interest”. – On May 20, 2021, a company is established in Warsaw’s Powiśle. The company is set up to manage funds. In this company, a partner appears and the president of the board appears. This partner and president of the board is currently the president of NCBR Investment Fund Asi Spółka Akcyjna. The National Center for Research and Development has established its investment company, which is to distribute PLN 700 million. The person who was appointed president of the NCBR company exactly a month ago was the president of the management board of the company I mentioned in Warsaw’s Powiśle district, said the MP.

– She was the president of the board of this company and was a partner in this company. The current president of NCBR Investment Fund ASI Spółka Akcyjna is replaced by another businessman. This businessman is the president of the company that received PLN 123 million (PLN) from the National Center for Research and Development in the December competition “Fast track” – he added

– One person is the president of the NCBR company. This person is replaced by a man who is the president of the company that received PLN 123 million. He not only replaces the president, but also buys all shares in this company from him – said Szczerba.

According to opposition politicians, the connection is obvious. – Two people are in one company, they are partners. One of these people will be promoted in the structures of the NCBR, it is promoted by the former director of the NCBR recently dismissed. She is appointed as the president of this NCBR company with the consent of the Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Jacek Żalek, fully aware that the Białystok company whose president replaced the man from the NCBR has the highest position in the “Fast Track” competition – said Szczerba.

The politician also referred to CBA inspection at the NCRD, which began on Wednesday. – We do not believe the Polish services, we do not believe the people who allowed a gigantic scam on European money – he said.

He reported that together with Joński, he had already submitted an application to the Supreme Audit Office “for an ad hoc urgent control” of, among others, the “Fast track” competition.

– Today we are also submitting and we have already established, through the European Commission’s representation in Poland, an application for immediate control by OLAF, i.e. the European anti-corruption agency that deals with this type of fraud and this type of conflict of interest in all European Union countries – informed Szczerba.