2024-10-10 15:10 update: 2024-10-10, 15:13
Photo PAP/Tomasz Gzell
A recent audit at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed 46 cases of malpractice in connection with a cash-for-visas scandal that took place during the rule of the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, said the head of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK).
During Thursday's press conference, Marian Banas, the president of NIK, presented the findings of a recent inspection of the foreign ministry that was carried out to address longstanding accusations regarding the improper issuance of visas to foreigners during the tenure of the ministry's former leadership.
According to him, the audit covered the time between the beginning of 2018 until May 2024 and shed light on 46 irregularities in five different areas.
"NIK has negatively evaluated the foreign minister's process of overseeing consular activities in the period covered by the inspection," said Banas.
He added: "The findings of the audit suggest that, at the MFA, a system of influencing certain Polish consuls, that was non-transparent and fostered corruption, was in place at least from November 2022 to May 2023."
Irregularities were found in the procedure aimed at "expediting the processing of visa applications and securing favourable outcomes, which included the review of decisions and the issuance of visas without requiring the applicant's physical presence."
Banas said that among the officials allegedly involved in this matter was former secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (Piotr Wawrzyk - PAP), who "frequently exceeded the authority exclusively assigned to the foreign minister" by "authorising the issuance of mandatory directives regarding visas for particular individuals, which in numerous instances violated consular law."
Banas also alluded to another individual, specifically the former minister of foreign affairs, (Zbigniew Rau - PAP), who, according to him, did not fulfill his responsibilities in supervising the activities of consuls with the necessary diligence. (PAP)
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