Warsaw (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ryszard Czarnecki, a Polish opposition politician and ex-deputy president of the EU Parliament has been charged with alleged financial fraud perpetrated while he was serving as a MEP.
Ryszard Czarnecki, who failed his seat as an MEP for the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party at the European elections in June this year, is charged with falsely reporting his residence to benefit from reimbursements for travel expenses to Brussels.
What are the charges against Ryszard Czarnecki?
According to investigators, this led to an unjustified financial profit of about €203,000 between 2009 and 2013. The politician denies the accusations against him, which he states are being brought on “political orders”. The inquiry by Polish prosecutors into the misappropriation of funds was started following a notification by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in 2020. The body challenged the validity of €100,000 reimbursed to Czarnecki for travels between 2009 and 2018.
In a statement issued, the prosecutor’s office stated that the charge relates to the ‘’Unfavourable disposition of property of a substantial value in the total amount of €203,167, through the misrepresentation of papers drawn up and signed‘’ between 2009 and 2013.
Czarnecki allegedly deceived the EU Parliament when submitting his reimbursement assertions, stating that he lived in Jasło in southeastern Poland. He was living in Warsaw, some 340 kilometres to the north and closer to Brussels. He also allegedly falsified the types of vehicles he used for the travel. According to the investigators, he pointed out 243 such claims. If found culpable, he could face a jail sentence of up to 15 years.
They initially desired to bring charges against him in February, but at the time he had permitted immunity as an MEP. Prosecutors sent a recommendation to the EP to lift the immunity. However, in June, Czarnecki failed to be re-elected, thus forfeiting his immunity.
How does Czarnecki defend against the fraud accusations?
The former MEP did not confess the charges and presented a brief explanation in which he refused to have committed the fraud, expressed prosecutors. Speaking to broadcaster Polsat, Czarnecki stated that he “categorically opposes these allegations”, which he stated were the “execution of a political order by the prosecutor’s office”. “Two years ago, I repaid all the funds in question, so I am surprised that this topic is still discussed. These irregularities [in expense claims] were the fault of my associates, but I take responsibility,” he said.
A representative for the prosecutor’s office overseeing the case told the Rzeczpospolita daily that Czarnecki had returned more than €104,000 but contended that “repayment does not resolve the matter”. “It can at most have an effect on the sentence or on a possible duty to make reparation. But it does not automatically generate depenalisation, meaning the person is no longer criminally liable. These are two separate issues,” he stated.
