Poland possesses all necessary tools to investigate and address any irregularities concerning the National Recovery Plan (KPO) funds; the European Commission is not taking action at this moment, stated EC spokesman Maciej Berestecki to PAP on Saturday. He noted that the Polish authorities should clarify the matter first.
“According to the Prime Minister’s announcement, it is clear that the Polish authorities will act to investigate the suspicions,” Berestecki emphasized.
“If the government’s efforts are ineffective, then we will step in,” the EC spokesman added.
The KPO funds were intended for the HoReCa sector (hospitality and gastronomy), for purposes including purchasing yachts and furniture. In response, the Ministry of Funds has announced inspections, and the prosecutor’s office has already begun verification activities. Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed his expectation for prompt actions and the withdrawal of funds in cases of misuse.
Berestecki explained that every member state has provisions related to the management of KPO funds, which include a control system, and the Commission is a party to this agreement. Therefore, the EC will not act until it determines that national efforts to clarify irregularities have failed.
“Poland has expressed its commitment to investigate the issue, and we are awaiting the results,” he noted. Berestecki mentioned that communication between the EC and Polish authorities concerning the KPO is “regular” at a technical level, and the EC currently sees no need for intervention at a higher level.
On Friday morning, Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Jan Szyszko announced that the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), responsible for overseeing the funds’ expenditure, will initiate additional inspections to scrutinize “every zloty” spent on HoReCa sector investments. He revealed that information regarding irregularities had reached the Ministry’s management a few weeks prior, leading to the dismissal of the previous PARP president, Katarzyna Duber-Stachurska, in late July.
The acting PARP president, Krzysztof Gulda, assured that inspections are already underway and will be expanded, with preliminary results to be reported by the end of September this year. He noted that should any irregularities be confirmed, there is a possibility of terminating contracts with beneficiaries and recovering EU funds.
On the same day, Prime Minister Donald Tusk reiterated his zero tolerance for “any waste of KPO funds,” demanding swift actions, including fund withdrawals where abuses are evident. “I learned that the Ministry of Ms. Pełczyńska-Nałęcz had been aware of irregularities or possible irregularities, as well as negligence or sometimes imprudent fund distribution for some time. For now, these explanations do not suffice for me,” the Prime Minister stated.
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