MP Janusz Cieszyński has published documents casting doubt on the impartiality of the government’s auditing activities. On the official list of companies designated for “priority inspection” by the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, there is no trace of entities connected to Civic Platform politicians—despite the fact that their grants have stirred major public controversy.
Former Minister of Digital Affairs Janusz Cieszyński announced via social media that he had obtained a list of companies selected for inspection by the ministry led by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, as part of the funding program for the HoReCa sector (hospitality, gastronomy, catering). In his post, he stressed that the list is selective and omits key cases that have raised the most doubts.
The MP also added:
“Even though internet users (called ‘scammers’ by Katarzyna Pełczyńska) uncovered dozens of suspicious grants, the ministry found irregularities in only… seventeen.”
Cosmetic actions by the ministry?
Cieszyński attached an official letter from Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz dated August 12, 2025, addressed to the acting president of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. In it, the minister informed that payments were being suspended “until the completion of control activities” regarding the verification of the allocated funds. The key attachment to the letter is the “List of projects for priority inspection,” which indeed includes only 17 entities.
Among the cited risks justifying inspections were “high value of training services,” “personally affiliated companies,” and “termination of operations after signing an agreement with PARP.” However, as Cieszyński warned, the truly “hot” cases, publicly discussed for weeks, were left out.
Not auditing “our own”?
The public has long been concerned with reports of controversial grants awarded to companies linked with politicians of the ruling bloc. Media have widely covered the case of the wife of Civic Coalition MP Artur Łącki, whose company received over one million złoty from the Recovery Fund for developing a holiday resort. The MP—one of the wealthiest in parliament—insisted that “the matter is clean” and that his wife was simply using opportunities available to all entrepreneurs.
Equally notorious were grants for businesses connected with the family of Civic Platform senator Beniamin Godyla, intended, among other things, for the expansion of a hotel and restaurant in a palace in Pawłowice. These and other cases, despite sparking outrage and allegations of nepotism, did not appear on the ministry’s “priority” audit list.
A scandal that won’t be swept under the rug
The scandal surrounding the use of Recovery Fund money for the HoReCa sector has been ongoing for weeks, ever since an online map of beneficiaries was published. Among the projects receiving funding were luxury yachts, saunas, and floating houses, sparking accusations of squandering public money.
Under public pressure, Minister Pełczyńska-Nałęcz announced large-scale inspections, assuring that “every improperly qualified agreement, every grant inconsistent with the rules will be reviewed, and funds will not be disbursed.”
Interestingly, the first signals of potential problems with Recovery Fund grants reportedly reached the Ministry of Funds as early as February and March 2025—but were ignored at the time. Now, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has also taken up the matter, launching its own investigation into the misuse of EU funds.