The Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM) has unlawfully seized the bank accounts of the Independent Media Foundation, according to information obtained by our newsroom. The case allegedly involves serious violations of multiple legal provisions, including ignoring a complaint filed with an administrative court and issuing a decision without the legally required signatures. Tomasz Sakiewicz says he has no doubt that the move was a deliberate attack on independent media and on a project aimed at safeguarding the integrity of elections.
According to our information, the Independent Media Foundation’s bank accounts were seized in a manner that was entirely unlawful. For years, the Foundation has raised funds to support persecuted journalists and has also helped finance the development of Telewizja Republika in the past.
Serious legal violations and disregard for the court
According to the Foundation, KPRM’s actions violate fundamental provisions governing administrative enforcement proceedings, depriving it of the right to defend itself and effectively preventing judicial review. Among the alleged breaches are:
- Article 15(1) of the Act on Administrative Enforcement Proceedings – the Foundation was not served with the mandatory written warning. Under the law, enforcement proceedings may only be initiated after seven days have elapsed from the delivery of such a notice. Without it, enforcement cannot legally begin.
- Article 80(3) of the same Act – the Foundation’s accounts were seized even though it had never been served with a copy of the enforcement order. The deadline for taking legal action begins only upon delivery of that document, which, according to the Foundation, renders the current enforcement proceedings entirely unlawful.
Furthermore, on June 20, the Foundation filed a complaint with the Provincial Administrative Court against KPRM’s decision, accompanied by a request to suspend its enforcement. According to the Foundation, KPRM did not wait for the court’s ruling and proceeded to seize the accounts.
“Instead of forwarding our appeal to the court on the final day allowed by law, KPRM simply decided to unlawfully seize our accounts,” Tomasz Sakiewicz said.
Computer printout instead of a signature
The document used as the basis for the seizure has also raised controversy. According to the Foundation, the decision bearing the name of KPRM head Jan Grabiec is legally invalid because it does not contain a qualified electronic signature. Instead, it includes only a computer-generated text reading: “Jan Grabiec, Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.”
“In Poland, there are only two valid forms of signature – a handwritten one or a qualified electronic one. This decision contains neither; it is merely a computer printout. Therefore, the tax official who acted on the basis of such a document simply committed a criminal offence,” Sakiewicz argued.
Alleged attack on election integrity and Telewizja Republika
The funds that became the subject of the seizure were allocated to a project training election observers and members of polling station commissions. According to Sakiewicz, the project exceeded its original goals.
“Instead of the planned 2,000 to 3,000 participants, we trained 9,000 people, using not only grant funding but also our own resources and those of our media outlets.”
He argued that targeting such a project demonstrates an attempt to undermine election oversight.
“An attack on a project devoted to election security and training people to safeguard fair elections shows what they are preparing for the elections. They intend to target everyone who wants to protect the integrity of the vote, and this is the first such attack,” said the editor-in-chief of Telewizja Republika.
According to Sakiewicz, the broadcaster itself is the real target.
“A direct, full-scale attack on Telewizja Republika has begun—that is how this should be understood.”
He added that the authorities are attempting to cut off the station’s sources of funding. However, he noted that more than a year ago Telewizja Republika had already ended its cooperation with the Independent Media Foundation in fundraising, anticipating that “the authorities could resort to such lawless actions.” He said the broadcaster is now establishing new entities in Poland and abroad to protect its financial independence.
“They will be prosecuted for the rest of their lives”
Tomasz Sakiewicz declared that those responsible would face legal consequences and argued that officials who violate the law will not escape accountability.
“Mr. Grabiec has risked years in prison and the loss of his assets, because he will be held personally liable and will be prosecuted for the rest of his life. I guarantee that he will be pursued for breaking the law for the rest of his life. Apparently, however, they believed they had no other choice. They concluded it was all or nothing, because Republika has become such an important player in the media landscape that, without destroying us, they will not be able to stay in power, even with such a weak opposition,” Sakiewicz concluded.