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Defence ministry spokesman asks to be relieved of duties

PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea 19.09.2016 15:21
The spokesman for the defence ministry, Bartosz Misiewicz, has asked Minister Antoni Macierewicz to relieve him of his duties in the wake of increasing media pressure.
Bartosz Misiewicz. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński Bartosz Misiewicz. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński

The PAP news agency reported on Monday that Misiewicz asked Macierewicz to suspend him from his functions as both spokesman and as the head of the political cabinet at the ministry.

A statement sent to the agency added that Misiewicz is also pursuing legal action against Newsweek Polska.

The weekly recently published an article which claims Misiewicz allegedly offered a city councillor and member of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) party a paid position in a state-owned company in return for joining the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party.

“I would like to inform you that I asked Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz to suspend me in my duties within the Defence Ministry,” the statement read.

“In addition, I am launching legal action against the Newsweek weekly for the false and defamatory article written about me,” Misiewicz wrote.

In recent weeks, 26-year-old Misiewicz – one of Macierewicz’s closest advisors – has been at the eye of a media storm following his appointment to the supervisory board of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), one of the region’s largest conglomerates of military-equipment producers.

PGZ’s statute was especially changed to allow Misiewicz to join its board, despite the fact that he does not have a university degree.

In August, Misiewicz was awarded a gold medal for his “services for National Defence”, after working at the ministry for only several months.

Asked by the private TVN broadcaster last week about Misiewicz being appointed to the board of PGZ, despite not having the necessary qualifications, Prime Minister Beata Szydło said that she had “spoken to Minister Macierewicz” to personally address the situation in his ministry.

Meanwhile, last week, Szydło dismissed Treasury Minister Dawid Jackiewicz following claims that he had been appointing friends and associates to top positions within state-owned companies.

The opposition Nowoczesna (Modern party) has since listed “40 Misiewiczes” – people close to the PiS party – who it claims have been given jobs in state-controlled institutions. (rg)

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