Maciej Świrski and Cezary Jurkiewicz have been charged over their alleged involvement in financing the “Fair Courts” campaign and providing unlawful support to the political parties Law and Justice (PiS) and Solidary Poland (Solidarna Polska). Both men pleaded not guilty to all charges. Details of the investigation were presented by Jaromir Rybczak, Head of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów.
On Tuesday morning, officers of Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA), acting on the orders of a prosecutor from the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów, detained Maciej Świrski, the former Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) and former Management Board member of the Polish National Foundation (PFN), as well as Cezary Jurkiewicz, a Warsaw City Councillor and former President of the Management Board of the Foundation.
Earlier, Halina Świrska told TV Republika that her husband had been detained at their apartment in the Suwałki region.
Jaromir Rybczak, Head of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów, announced that Świrski had been charged, among other offenses, with the illegal financing of the political parties Law and Justice (PiS) and Solidary Poland (Solidarna Polska). The prosecutor explained that the case does not concern direct financial transfers but rather political marketing services. Investigators imposed a preventive measure prohibiting Świrski from leaving Poland and confiscated his passport.
Prosecutor Rybczak stated that the evidence collected during the investigation justified charging both suspects with acting jointly and in concert to abuse their powers and neglect their official duties while serving on the Management Board of the Polish National Foundation by implementing and financing the “Fair Courts” media campaign.
He emphasized that the campaign “in its content and purpose” was contrary to the Foundation’s statutory objectives. According to investigators, these actions allegedly caused financial damage to the Foundation on a particularly large scale, amounting to no less than PLN 8.4 million.
Speaking about the allegations, Prosecutor Rybczak added:
“At the same time, contrary to the provisions of the Political Parties Act of 27 June 1997, non-monetary benefits valued at that amount were provided to the political parties Law and Justice and Solidary Poland in the form of political marketing services directed at the public as part of the aforementioned campaign.”
Świrski and Jurkiewicz denied committing the alleged offenses and gave statements to prosecutors. After questioning both suspects, the prosecutor imposed non-custodial preventive measures, including a ban on leaving the country combined with the seizure of their passports.
The Polish National Foundation began operating in 2016. Its mission has been to promote Poland and strengthen the country’s international image, while also carrying out scientific, educational, and cultural initiatives related to fostering national, civic, and cultural awareness.
Maciej Świrski served on the PFN Management Board between 2017 and 2018 as the Foundation’s Vice President. Cezary Jurkiewicz served as President of the Management Board from 2016 to 2018 and remained a member of the Foundation’s Management Board until 2024.