Poland’s parliamentary investigative committees cost the government half a million zloty, over 200,000 euro, in 2009.

The daily Rzeczpospolita claims that the four committees, investigating the gambling affair, pressure from the Law and Justice Party on the government, the renowned Krzysztof Olewnik murder case and the circumstances of the suicide of former MP Barbara Blida.

Members of the committees spent over 300,000 zloty in 2009, and the investigative committee into Barbara Blida’s death spent almost half of that sum. Additionally, the daily writes that additional costs – 20 percent salary increases for those MPs serving on the committees – must also be counted into total expenditures.

The committees, which have no legal power, are called ad-hoc by parliament and serve to investigate situations involving politicians which are unclear. Two of the four current committees have finished their reports and the final two are nearing the end of their mandate. (mmj)