The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw officially confirmed the conduct of an investigation into the activities of the National Centre for investigation and Development. This initiative was taken on 18 March following a notification from the ultimate Audit Chamber. This body has previously pointed to the suspicion of "accidents of corruption and abuse of powers by public officials" on this issue.
The scandal at the National Centre for investigation and improvement could have negative consequences for the erstwhile ruling party.
"On 18 March 2024, an investigation was initiated from the notification of the ultimate Audit Office with Article 231 par. 1 K.k. and another Criminal Codes, following an inspection by the home at the National Centre for investigation and Development’ – informed the spokesperson of the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw prok. Mirosław Jerzy Ivanicki.
The ultimate Chamber of Control notified the D.A. of a controversial case at the National Centre for investigation and Development. This study took place in the autumn of 2023, after an inspection carried out by NIK at the NCBR. As a consequence of this audit, there was a suspicion of "corruption and abuse of powers by public officials".
The House's auditors pointed to "a crucial number of irregularities and crucial problems with the regularity of the spending of EU funds", which prompted the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to take action on this issue.
NIK has besides announced a notification to the European Commission of irregularities in spending EU funds. In addition, the home suggested the request to set up a parliamentary committee of enquiry on this matter.
The case is being investigated, which means that no charges have been presented to anyone," said prok Mirosław Jerzy Ivanicki on Wednesday.
The prosecutor added that the current investigation into the National Centre for investigation and improvement is in the process of verifying the information collected in the NIK announcement and collecting the essential evidence. So far, a squad of prosecutors has not been appointed.
The investigation into the NCBR scandal is referred to as 1 of the large cases. On the question of the planned procedural actions, Prosecutor Ivanicki stressed that, in principle, the prosecution does not disclose the planned actions, especially when, to whom and what allegations may be made.
The National Prosecutor Dariusz Korneluk provided information about the upcoming NCBR investigation last week.
– It'll be another big, large thing. – he said.
It was said that the investigation would be conducted at the level of the regional prosecutor, where materials are collected not only from the prosecutor's office in Warsaw, but besides in Lublin and Szczecin.
Lega artis AppWhat was determined during NIK control?
As mentioned earlier, NIK carried out an audit at the National Centre for investigation and Development, and its results were presented in late 2023. The Chamber stated in the study many irregularities both in the preparation process and in the organisation of the selection of applications for backing in the "Quick way – Digital Innovation" competition, as well as at the task selection stage. According to the NCBR controllers, it did not comply with the competition rules and its own interior rules. The Chamber stressed that "the established irregularities besides indicate the existence of corrupt mechanisms in the NCBR".
On 7 March 2024, the Act restoring the supervision of the Ministry of discipline and Higher Education over the NCBR entered into force. The Ministry announced a "wide scope of verification procedures" in the NCBR (almost 70 inspections have already taken place over the last year), where, as Deputy Minister Marek Gzik stated, many "corruption and criminal" phenomena were observed.
What was the NCBR scandal?
The scandal at the National Centre for investigation and improvement broke out over a year ago and afraid irregularities in the conduct of the digital innovation competition. As a result, 2 companies received a grant worth nearly PLN 178 million. PLN 55 million went to a company founded by a 26-year-old 10 days before the deadline for submitting applications. Another PLN 123 million for the “undersea cybersecurity” task was received by a white-stock entity, whose president was Jacek Żalek, Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, liable for the NCBR.
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