Former Lower Silesian Vice-Voivode Jacek Protasiewicz has made headlines with a series of contentious remarks on social media, targeting current Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Marcin Kierwiński. Protasiewicz, whose online activity has recently cost him his political position, accused Kierwiński of being noticeably inebriated during a speech at the Firefighters’ Day celebrations, using the phrase “drunk as a Messerschmitt” (sic! “drunk as a skunk” – ed.) to describe Kierwiński’s condition.
The controversy started when Kierwiński, speaking at the event, appeared to slur his words, which he later attributed to sound system issues—a claim quickly refuted as other speakers did not experience similar problems. In an attempt to quell the rumors, Kierwiński published an alcohol breath test result on social media, but the gesture has done little to silence the ongoing debates.
Adding fuel to the fire, Protasiewicz provided a stark portrayal of the drinking culture within the Civic Platform (PO) party, detailing frequent alcohol consumption at government offices and party events. He cited his experiences from his time as Kierwiński’s deputy during the 2011 PO campaign, describing parties at the Prime Minister’s villa, nicknamed “Miami.”
Protasiewicz’s revelations extend beyond personal attacks and drunken escapades, touching upon his own controversial past. He referred to an incident from a decade ago where, during a stint in Frankfurt as a Member of the European Parliament, he was accused by German media of offensive behavior, including shouting “Heil Hitler” at airport customs officers. Protasiewicz has consistently explained that incident as a reaction to aggressive customs officials while he was mildly intoxicated from wine consumed on his flight from Warsaw.