Law and Justice files complaint with prosecutor concerning Tusk and Zondacrypto
The Law and Justice parliamentary caucus has filed a complaint with the National Prosecutor's Office alleging passive corruption against Prime Minister Donald Tusk and members of his government. The matter concerns sponsorship of government events by cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto.
Law and Justice accuses Tusk of passive corruption – cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto in the background
The Law and Justice parliamentary caucus filed a complaint on Wednesday with the National Prosecutor's Office regarding reasonable suspicion of committing an offence under Article 228 of the Criminal Code, concerning passive bribery – that is, accepting financial or personal benefits in connection with performing public office. According to Interia, the complaint names Prime Minister Donald Tusk and leading members of his government.
Deputy Michał Wójcik announced the filing of the complaint during Wednesday's press conference. Deputy Marcin Warchoł, who was present, added that the document also covers former Justice Minister Adam Bodnar and "possibly other persons in connection with financing of government events by Zondacrypto involving government representatives".
Investigation discontinuation and congress with prime minister's participation
A key circumstance cited in the complaint is the discontinuation in April 2024 of one line of investigation concerning cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto in the matter of embezzlement of client funds. Wójcik assessed that over the next two years – precisely until April 2026 – the government "essentially did nothing with this matter". Warchoł stated that Zondacrypto "got two years of peace, which today burden Prime Minister Donald Tusk".
Some two weeks after this line of investigation was discontinued, the EEC 2024 conference (European Economic Congress) took place, at the opening of which Prime Minister Tusk was present, accompanied by the head of the Finance Ministry Andrzej Domański and then Justice Minister Adam Bodnar. The event was sponsored, among others, by Zondacrypto.
Warchoł stressed that financial or personal benefit within the meaning of Article 228 of the Criminal Code "does not have to consist of the physical transfer of money – it can also be sponsorship, media coverage, promotion, creation of media infrastructure, as was the case here".
Wójcik: "If you did not know about this, you should not be prime minister"
Addressing the head of government directly, Wójcik stated: "The Prime Minister essentially decides about everything that happens in the state. The services report to the Prime Minister, essentially the Justice Ministry and the prosecutor's office, all supervisory inspections. If you did not know about this, then you should not be prime minister. And if you knew about it, then it means you knowingly and deliberately went to this event with premeditation".
The deputy called on the prosecutor's office to examine sponsorship contracts between the European Economic Congress and Zondacrypto – who signed them, what the prime minister and his office knew, and what amount the exchange paid to the congress.
Nawrocki and earlier complaint concerning Tusk
President Karol Nawrocki had earlier drawn attention to EEC 2024's sponsorship by Zondacrypto, responding in this way to criticism of his participation in the May CPAC conference in Rzeszów, where Zondacrypto was one of the sponsors.
In early September, Law and Justice deputy Michał Woś filed a separate complaint, accusing Prime Minister Tusk of disclosing in the Sejm information from an investigation concerning Zondacrypto – this was said to have occurred before a vote on the presidential veto regarding the cryptocurrency market act.
Main investigation and arrests
Proceedings against cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto were initiated by the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Katowice on 17 April of this year on suspicion of significant fraud and money laundering. Several thousand crime reports have already been received.
In early August the investigation was combined with proceedings being conducted in the Silesian division of the National Prosecutor's Office, related to the disappearance of Sylwester Suszek, whose fate has been unknown since March 2022. In the course of the investigation, among others, former president of the Polish Olympic Committee Radosław Piesiewicz was arrested.
Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek informed earlier that the line concerning Zondacrypto was discontinued by a prosecutor appointed by former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, prosecutor Tomasz Janeczek. Żurek acknowledged at the time that "the prosecutor's office is still staffed in part by people from Minister Ziobro's team, who had an interest in having investigations discontinued".
Source: Interia