Investigation into office development affair closed without charges
Warsaw prosecutors have discontinued proceedings into a planned property investment on Wola. Three charges, including fraud and corruption, were not substantiated.
Investigation into office development affair closed without charges
An investigation into an unrealised construction project on Warsaw's Wola district has been halted. Prosecutors from Warsaw decided there were no grounds to bring the case before a court.
The proceedings were reopened in early 2025 following a change of government. Previously, when a different politician headed the justice ministry, a decision was made not to open an investigation. Austrian businessman Gerald Birgfellner was questioned multiple times at that stage, but the case did not advance.
The central point of dispute was an investment that was to be realised by the Srebrna company with support from the Lech Kaczyński Institute Foundation. The plan was to construct two high-rise office buildings. When the project collapsed in 2018, Birgfellner demanded the return of his investment of more than one million euros. The demand was not met.
Investigators examined three lines of inquiry. The first involved suspicion of fraud – the Austrian businessman allegedly was misled about the reality of the investment and induced to bear costs. The second concerned the acceptance of financial benefit by a person sitting on the foundation's board. The third was related to an offer to give a bribe.
Key witnesses testified during the investigation, including a prominent opposition politician and his close collaborator. The latter died of a heart attack shortly after being questioned.
The decision to discontinue proceedings provoked strong reactions. The side representing Birgfellner announced an appeal, suggesting that the change of prosecutor in charge was intended to influence the outcome. A prosecution service spokeswoman rejected these accusations, explaining that the rotation resulted from the formal expiry of the service delegation.
Source: Interia