The Ministry of Education and Science cannot provide detailed information due to the fact that the deadline for submitting the final report has not yet expired, said Deputy Minister Tomasz Rzymkowski. On Thursday, he answered questions from Katarzyna Lubnauer and Krystyna Szumilas in the Sejm regarding Willa Plus. The MPs alleged that the Ministry of National and National Education “did nothing” in connection with the comments of the Supreme Audit Office, which showed that the program was implemented in violation of the rules.
On Thursday, during the parliamentary session of the Civic Coalition, Katarzyna Lubnauer and Krystyna Szumilas, MPs, announced that they had carried out a parliamentary intervention in three foundations that had become beneficiaries of the so-called Villa plus program. They have communicated that Supreme Chamber of Control confirmed their doubts, showing that the program was implemented in violation of the rules by the Minister of Education and Science, Przemysław Czarnek. – At least six million zlotys were spent contrary to the rules of the competition – said Szumilas.
villa plus. The prosecutor’s office has initiated proceedings regarding Minister Czarnek’s subsidies
– We wanted to check how the ministry reacted to the remarks of NIK, whether it improved anything in the programme. It turned out that it didn’t do anything, it didn’t even go to the institutions that were questioned by the Supreme Audit Office and which were shown by the media, she added. – We were in the organization of Fundacja Polska Wielki Projekt. The five-million zlotys villa is closed, without a bell, residents say that only painters appear there from time to time, she said.
The second foundation controlled by MPs was the Freedom and Democracy Foundation. – They don’t even know if they bought a villa, so there are no activities for children and teenagers – commented Szumilas. They also visited the Local Tourist Organization “INTE GRA”. – There is no foundation at the registered office, which is listed in the National Court Register. Apparently, she moved out, and the property bought for almost a million zlotys is a garden overgrown with bushes with a rusty gate and a semi-trailer, where classes for children are supposed to take place – she continued.
Rzymkowski: at this stage, MEiN cannot provide detailed information
Tomasz Rzymkowski, the secretary of state at the Ministry of National Education and Science, responded to the allegations of the MPs. He said that each beneficiary who received funding was required to submit an annual report and a report after the completion of the investment. – Each beneficiary is obliged to submit a final report within 60 days from the date of completion and commissioning of the investment. Therefore, at this stage Ministry of Education and Science cannot provide detailed information due to the fact that the deadline for submitting the final report has not yet expired, he said.
He noted that the deadline for the implementation of the investment and spending the funds has been extended to December 31, 2023, so in his opinion the control at this stage is “absolutely pointless and unjustified”.
villa plus
On January 31, tvn24.pl for the first time described the cases of a dozen or so non-governmental organizations that received grants from Minister Przemysław Czarnek under the program “Development of the infrastructure potential of entities supporting the education and upbringing system”. It was about those who received subsidies for the purchase or construction of real estate in the amount of PLN 599,000 to PLN 5 million.
At that time, we also described the organization’s links with politicians, government officials and the Catholic Church. Since then, the program has been known more widely as Willa Plus.
Main photo source: TVN24