Autographs of Joseph Stalin and NKVD chief Lavrentiy Beria, among other “trophies”, were showcased in a television segment by Svetlana Czestnych, a Russian woman holding a Polish passport and associated with Włodzimierz Czarzasty. How will the Speaker of the Sejm respond to this piece of Russian propaganda?
In recent weeks, questions have multiplied regarding the potentially dangerous connections of the Speaker of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, particularly in the context of his eastern social and business contacts with Svetlana Czestnych. She is a Russian citizen dealing in works of art and connected to an auction house linked to a major Russian bank controlled by the Kremlin. Two years ago, she acquired shares in a company owned by the current Speaker of the Sejm.
Internet user Emilia Kamińska shared a fragment of a 2021 television report. In it, a reporter speaks with Czestnych, who proudly displays autographs from Putin, Stalin, as well as NKVD chief Beria and Mehlis, figures responsible for the mass murders of Poles.
“And at the end, she shows a map of Crimea from 1782 and talks about the annexation of these territories by Russia!”
the post reads.
A video excerpt was published with a Polish-language translation.
Czarzasty’s Dangerous Ties. Another Concerning Name
Czestnych is not the only controversial figure in the Speaker’s circle.
Since 2008, Czarzasty has served on the Council of the Great Blue Foundation. Its president is Marian Kubalica, Czarzasty’s associate from the “Ordynacka” Association – a figure with pro-Kremlin views who praises the “outstanding” Putin online and repeats Russian propaganda narratives.