Visa scandal. Germans concerned, the government in Berlin expects explanations from Poland – Deutsche Welle

The visa scandal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been inflaming Polish public opinion for many days. The prosecutor’s office and the Central Anticorruption Bureau are investigating the case of Polish visas for bribes. So far, seven people have been charged with possible visa fraud, though The Law and Justice government argues that there is no scandal.

Visa scandal. What do we know so far?

Poland’s neighbors are also closely following the visa scandal. As “Deutsche Welle” reported on Monday evening, citing information from government sources in Berlin, the Minister of the Interior German Nancy Faeser asked for a meeting with her Polish counterpart, the head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration Mariusz Kamiński. The daily also reports that the German ministry intends to ask for a meeting with the Polish ambassador in Germany, Dariusz Pałóś.

According to the spokesman for the German Ministry of Internal Affairs, Berlin hopes that the Polish authorities will clarify the scandal as soon as possible. The spokesman also noted that for now the German government does not expect the visa scandal to have any consequences for Germany. He added that Germany “has already significantly strengthened police measures on the border with Poland in the recent past,” “DW” quotes his words.

The German “Bild” recently wrote about hypocrisy PiS, who has always accused Germany of “stupidity and naivety” when it comes to migration policy. “Now it has come to light: the ‘flood’ of migrants has been intensified by corrupt Warsaw officials. Illegal refugees with purchased Polish documents are deliberately allowed to enter Germany,” the article said.

SEE ALSO: Sharp reactions in Germany, findings of the Spanish press agency. Foreign media about the visa scandal

Investigations into irregularities in submitting visa applications are conducted by the prosecutor’s office Central Anticorruption Bureau. The opposition talks about corruption and claims that hundreds of thousands of documents issued arouse suspicion. Head of PO Donald Tusk he called it “the biggest scandal of the 21st century in Poland.”

The deputy director of the Department of Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor’s Office, Daniel Lerman, reported at the Thursday conference that “the investigation was initiated on March 7, 2023 based on materials provided by the Central Anticorruption Bureau.”

– It concerns paid protection in the acceleration of visa procedures in relation to several hundred visas and visa applications submitted over a year and a half. Of these several hundred visas, most of them were granted through refusal decisions, the prosecutor explained. He added that the procedure concerned applications for visas for foreigners to work in Poland.

Read also: Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding irregularities in the visa issuance process

Former deputy minister Piotr Wawrzyk, who was dismissed from his position due to the scandal, was hospitalized last Friday.