A significant portion of the Warsaw city councilors from the Civic Coalition have expressed support for the operation of as many as a dozen casinos in the capital. Only thanks to the opposition of councilors from Law and Justice (PiS) and the Miasto Jest Nasze (The City Is Ours) movement, as well as the lack of voting discipline within the Coalition, was it possible to adopt negative opinions regarding their locations. The next move now belongs to Donald Tusk’s government.
Alcohol – no; casinos – yes. This is how one could illustrate the attitude of local Civic Coalition politicians. During a recent session, councilors from all parties almost unanimously supported resolutions banning the sale of alcohol between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. in shops and gas stations in two districts – Śródmieście and Praga Północ.
Councilors in Favor of Gambling
The media’s attention was focused on that vote. Meanwhile, a dozen or so other votes took place, on resolutions expressing opinions about the locations of individual casinos. The PiS and Miasto Jest Nasze clubs strongly opposed issuing positive opinions. “We don’t want to contribute to the operation of such establishments in the capital,” they argued.
And the Civic Coalition? A large portion of its councilors (roughly half the club, between 14 and 18 councilors, depending on the vote) supported the continued presence of gambling establishments. Among them was Agnieszka Gierszyńska-Kierwińska, the wife of Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński.
Due to the stance of the Civic Coalition, the Warsaw City Council adopted a resolution expressing a positive opinion on the location of one of the casinos – at the Bellotto Hotel, 13/15 Senatorska Street.
Councilors voted against (though by a narrow margin) the projects concerning other casinos, including those in the Sofitel Warsaw Victoria Hotel at 11 Królewska Street and the Mercure Warsaw Grand Hotel at 28 Krucza Street.
In the Interest of the Lobby
Regulations stipulate that the city council only issues an opinion on the establishment or continuation of a casino, while the final decision rests with the Ministry of Finance. However, for the ministry to grant formal approval, the council’s opinion must be positive.
“These are enormous sums of money and powerful interests. They’ll do everything to keep the casinos running. I wouldn’t be surprised if the projects return to the Warsaw Council in a month for another vote, and then most Civic Coalition councilors will vote the way they’re supposed to, in line with the interests of the gambling lobby,” opposition councilors told the Niezależna.pl portal.