Polish ex-minister Michał Dworczyk charged with corruption and perjury over luxury trips
Michał Dworczyk, a former Polish government minister and close ally of ex-Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, now faces serious criminal charges. Prosecutors have accused him of abusing his position while heading the Prime Minister's Office, misusing public funds for private trips, and lying under oath. The case adds to a string of legal actions against former officials from the Law and Justice (PiS) party since the current government took power.
On 11 March 2024, Poland's prosecutor's office formally charged Dworczyk with six counts of abuse of power and perjury. The allegations centre on unauthorised official trips to Spain and Italy between 2021 and 2022, paid for with state money but used for personal reasons. Investigators claim the trips cost taxpayers over 100,000 PLN (around €23,000), with evidence drawn from flight records, hotel bookings, witness statements, and financial documents.
The charges also include accusations of obstructing justice by attempting to delete emails linked to the case. Prosecutors state Dworczyk used a private email account for official business, mishandling classified information in the process. He has denied all wrongdoing, calling the prosecution politically motivated. Dworczyk, now an MEP for the opposition Conservatives (PiS), previously served as Morawiecki's chief of staff. His indictment follows a pattern of legal actions by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's center-left government against former PiS officials since late 2023. If convicted, Dworczyk could receive a prison sentence of between three months and five years.
The case against Dworczyk marks another high-profile prosecution under the Tusk administration. Legal proceedings will determine whether the misuse of public funds and obstruction charges hold. A conviction would result in a prison term and further political fallout for the opposition.
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