”Barbara Skrzypek fell victim to villains who caused her death. Today, they are trying to defend themselves and intimidate us, but we will not be afraid,” said PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński during a meeting with residents of Siedlce.
On Sunday, during a gathering in Siedlce, Kaczyński paid tribute to Barbara Skrzypek, a longtime PiS associate who passed away on Saturday.
The attendees honored her memory with a moment of silence. The party leader expressed his sorrow, claiming that her death was the result of actions taken by those who “are destroying Polish democracy and the rule of law.”
Kaczyński described the current situation in Poland as dramatic—development plans, including local initiatives, are being halted, and in his view, the law is no longer being upheld. “Terrible things are happening when it comes to the destruction of Polish democracy and the rule of law. In fact, today in Poland, the law no longer applies,” he said, pointing to Barbara Skrzypek as “the first fatal victim” of these processes.
Barbara Skrzypek, an archivist by profession, had supported Kaczyński in organizing the party’s work for 30 years. “She was a kind of genius in her field, a walking embodiment of order,” Kaczyński recalled, jokingly adding that he himself was not such a person. He emphasized her diligence, courage, and kindness, which made her exceptional.
“I miss her deeply. I believe many others do as well, because she was kind, warm, and compassionate, yet at the same time remarkably efficient, hardworking, and courageous,” Kaczyński said, visibly moved.
He then issued a strong accusation:
“She was a victim of villains who led to her death. I want to say this clearly: today, they are trying to defend themselves and intimidate us, but we will not be afraid. And I say this with absolute conviction.”
Skrzypek passed away on Saturday, a day after being questioned at the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office in an investigation related to the Srebrna company. Kaczyński, speaking on TV Republika, suggested that prosecutors—particularly Ewa Wrzosek, who led the case—were responsible for her death.
Attorney Krzysztof Gotkowicz, Skrzypek’s legal representative, revealed details of the interrogation in a statement published by PiS politicians. “On March 12, 2025, at 9:45 a.m., I accompanied Barbara Skrzypek to the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office as her legal counsel in the so-called ‘two towers’ case,” he wrote. He added that the prosecutor refused to allow him to participate in the proceedings, despite Skrzypek’s poor health and her personal pleas for legal assistance.