NEWSLETTER
From Poland with Love. October
Topic of the Month
CPK Land Scandal
PiS is facing one of its most serious corruption scandals in years after revelations that public land tied to the country’s flagship Central Transport Hub (CPK) was sold in a suspicious deal just weeks before the party lost power. The sprawling development, long promoted as PiS’s defining infrastructure achievement, is now at the center of a growing political and criminal storm.
According to the findings of investigative media and confirmed by government officials, a 160-hectare plot near Grodzisk Mazowiecki—crucial for the CPK’s planned high-speed rail corridor—was sold in late 2023 for PLN 22.7 million (ca. EUR 5,3 million), far below its current estimated market value of several hundred million. The sale was approved in record time and signed off by local agricultural authorities under PiS’s supervision.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has condemned the transaction as carrying a “stench of corruption,” accusing PiS of abusing state institutions for private and political benefit. The government has launched proceedings to reclaim the land, while prosecutors have opened a criminal probe into possible abuse of office and corruption. Poland’s Supreme Audit Office (NIK) has also stepped in, promising to scrutinize the procedures surrounding the sale and similar land transfers made in the final months of PiS’s rule.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński, reportedly furious over the affair, suspended four party members, including former agriculture minister Robert Telus and his deputy Rafał Romanowski. Telus has denied any wrongdoing, insisting he had no direct role in the deal. However, his ties to the buyer have raised eyebrows: the businessman involved had previously supplied Telus’s campaign with fruit mousse products sold below market price. Critics say the detail, while almost absurd in its triviality, symbolises the murky web of favours that defined PiS’s relations with friendly business circles.
Coalition parties have seized on the scandal as proof that PiS’s rule was riddled with clientelism. Civic Coalition lawmakers have demanded a full parliamentary inquiry, while Poland 2050 and the Left called for the CPK project to be “cleansed of political contamination.” Even within PiS, unease is growing that the controversy could deal a devastating blow to the party’s credibility ahead of next year’s local elections.
The damage is potentially severe because CPK is more than a project—it is PiS’s symbol of ambition and national pride. Surveys consistently show that a majority of Poles support building the hub, viewing it as an investment in modernization and regional development. If voters come to associate the scheme with corruption, PiS risks losing one of the few issues still capable of mobilizing broad support.
For now, prosecutors are gathering documents and questioning officials from the Agriculture Ministry and the state-owned company overseeing the hub. NIK has signaled that its audit may take months, but early findings could emerge before the spring campaign season—just as polls show PiS slipping below 30% support.
Kaczyński has publicly defended the CPK concept while admitting “mistakes were made,” but the opposition shows no sign of letting go. As one Civic Coalition MP quipped, “PiS promised us a central airport—what they built instead was a monument to greed.”
Tusk’s government has decided to continue the CPK initiative but under a revised concept that emphasizes practicality and real transport needs rather than grand political symbolism. While maintaining the project’s core goal of building a modern international airport and upgrading Poland’s transport network, the new administration is reshaping it into a smaller, more efficient, and financially sustainable version (read more in the April 2024 issue of the Newsletter). At the same time, the government intends to rename the project to reflect its new direction and detach it from its strong association with PiS.
Politics
Prosecutors Move Against Ex-Justice Minister
Polish prosecutors have asked parliament to lift the immunity of former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, accusing him of abuse of power, misappropriating public funds, and leading an organized criminal group. The case centers on allegations that money from the Justice Fund (read more in the July 2024 issue of the Newsletter), meant for crime victims, was diverted for political and personal purposes — including buying Israeli Pegasus spyware allegedly used against government critics (read more in the April 2025 issue of the Newsletter).
Ziobro, who served as justice minister and prosecutor general from 2015 to 2023 under the PiS government, is accused of overseeing the misuse of 150 million zloty (ca. EUR 36 million). Prosecutors say they have witness testimony, digital records, and grant documentation supporting the charges, which carry a sentence of up to 25 years.
Current Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek called the case “unprecedented on a European scale,” citing risks of evidence tampering and flight as grounds for requesting Ziobro’s temporary detention. “There are no sacred cows,” Żurek wrote on X, announcing the motion. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it is “the first time in Poland’s history” a former justice minister faces such charges. Tusk’s coalition has accused PiS of using Pegasus to spy on opposition figures, including members of his own party.
Ziobro dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. Speaking previously before a parliamentary commission, he admitted initiating the Pegasus purchase but said it was used lawfully “to uncover the activities of people who were embezzling Polish assets.” PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński called the case “nonsense and rubbish,” describing it as a political attack.
Ziobro is currently in Budapest. Some outlets speculate about a possible request for political asylum in Hungary, like his deputy Marcin Romanowski did (read more in the April 2025 issue of the Newsletter). Members of PiS have accused the government of political persecution. Kaczyński commented: If someone very seriously ill, who requires constant, very serious medical care, is placed in prison, it is essentially equivalent to a death sentence
***
In a separate move, the President’s Office, led by PiS ally Karol Nawrocki, has filed a criminal complaint against Justice Minister Żurek, accusing him of abusing his powers—an offense punishable by up to three years in prison.
The dispute concerns Żurek’s new regulation changing how judges are assigned to cases. It allows court presidents, appointed by the justice minister, to override the random case assignment system. Żurek argued the reform prevents illegally appointed judges from hearing cases and speeds up proceedings. “Faster trials and fully legal benches — that’s what this is about,” he said.
PiS figures denounced the move as an attempt to politicize the judiciary. Zbigniew Bogucki, the president’s chief of staff, said Żurek “acted consciously beyond his authority” and announced two steps: a Constitutional Tribunal review of the regulation and a request for prosecutors to investigate.
Civic Platform Merges with Allies to Form Civic Coalition
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the official merger of his Civic Platform (PO) party with two smaller partners, creating a single political organization under the new name Civic Coalition. Until now Civic Coalition was the name of the electoral list and parliamentary group formed by centrist parties organized around Tusk’s PO.
The move unites Civic Platform with the liberal Modern (Nowoczesna) party and social-democratic the Polish Initiative, both of which will dissolve into the new structure. The reorganization marks a strategic effort by Tusk to consolidate the ruling bloc ahead of the 2027 parliamentary elections.
“We are called the Civic Coalition because, as the Civic Coalition, we won elections — and we will win the next ones,” Tusk told delegates at a party convention in Warsaw. “No tricks, only truth, strength, and goodness.” The rebranding includes a new logo — a white-and-red heart — and a streamlined internal structure, pending formal registration with the National Court Register and leadership elections expected early next year.
The Greens, previously part of the broader Civic Coalition alliance, chose not to join the merger (were not even invited) but said they would continue to cooperate with Tusk’s government.
At the same time, the PiS held its own convention, unveiling a policy platform focused on defense, foreign policy, and healthcare. PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński dismissed the ruling camp’s merger as a “political stunt” designed to bolster support amid tightening opinion polls.
Belarusian “Peace Award” to Grzegorz Braun
Belarus has bestowed a “Peace and Human Rights Award” on Polish far-right politician Grzegorz Braun, a move that has provoked both ridicule and alarm in Poland. The award came from the Emil Czeczko International Charitable Foundation, named after a Polish soldier who defected to Belarus and later died under mysterious circumstances.
Polish commentators have described the gesture as a “poisoned chalice” — a symbolic act that seems more like political provocation than recognition. Relations between Warsaw and Minsk remain extremely tense amid Belarus’s alignment with Russia and its hybrid operations against the Polish border.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski publicly mocked Braun over the prize, noting the absurdity of receiving a “peace” award from a state complicit in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Many observers see the incident as an attempt by Belarus to exploit divisions inside Poland and to discredit one of its most controversial political figures.
Grzegorz Braun is a scandal-ridden, far-right Polish politician known for his nationalist, monarchist, and antisemitic views. He leads the Confederation of the Polish Crown, until recently a part of the broader far-right Confederation alliance.
Braun has repeatedly sparked outrage — most notably when he used a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukkah candles in the Polish parliament in 2023, an act widely condemned as antisemitic. Despite his extreme rhetoric, he has enjoyed growing political success, winning a seat in the European Parliament in 2024 and drawing more than 6 % of votes in the 2025 Polish presidential election.
Duda’s New Jobs
Former Polish President Andrzej Duda has joined the supervisory board of fintech firm Zen.com, in his first private-sector role since leaving office — a move that has sparked criticism due to the company’s political and media connections.
Zen.com, founded by Polish entrepreneur Dawid Rożek in 2018, operates as an online payments platform licensed in Lithuania with offices in London. The firm recently formed an international supervisory board to guide its expansion into Asia and the Middle East, with Duda appointed to help navigate “relations with regulators and strategic partners.”
The announcement quickly drew attention in Warsaw, as Rożek previously cooperated with Duda during his presidency, and Zen.com is a commercial partner of Kanał Zero, a high-profile YouTube channel that supported the PiS party’s recent election campaign.
Last month, Duda also revealed that he would host a new 16-episode program on Kanał Zero, discussing his time in office and current political issues. The platform, founded by sport journalist (and mock candidate in last presidential elections) Krzysztof Stanowski (read more in the January 2025 issue of the Newsletter), has become known for its conservative-leaning commentary and political influence. Stanowski, who became the king of YouTube in Poland, is now planning to start a TV station.
Critics argue that Duda’s simultaneous involvement with both Zen.com and Kanał Zero risks blurring the line between business, politics, and media — especially as PiS remains Poland’s main opposition force. Duda defended his new position, describing it as a continuation of his “mission to promote Polish innovation internationally.” He said he would not manage the company directly but oversee compliance and regulatory matters.
What is more, media have reported that the former First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda appeared in the National Bank of Poland’s (NBP) internal mailing-database with the title “advisor to the president” — suggesting a possible role at the central bank. However, the NBP has officially denied that she is employed or acts as an advisor at the institution. Screenshots obtained by journalists showed her name briefly listed in the database, but it was removed shortly thereafter. NBP is known as the last bastion of PiS where many party officials find well-paid employment.
The Dudas are commented to be disappointed with lack of prestigious and lucrative proposals after their ten-year-long service. Especially Andrzej Duda hoped to get a job in an international organization or at least do a tour around universities around the world, but no invitations have arrived yet.
European Affairs
Sakharov Prize for Polish Journalist in Belarusian Prison
The European Parliament has awarded the 2025 Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to two imprisoned journalists: Polish-Belarusian reporter Andrzej Poczobut and Georgian media founder Mzia Amaglobeli. The laureates were announced on October 22 during a plenary session in Strasbourg, with the official ceremony set for December 16.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola praised their bravery, saying the pair “paid a high price for speaking the truth in the face of power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy.” Both were chosen for the prize despite being jailed on charges widely condemned as politically motivated.
Poczobut, a journalist and leading member of the unrecognized Union of Poles in Belarus, was arrested in 2021 amid a sweeping crackdown following Belarus’s disputed 2020 presidential election. A vocal critic of Aleksandr Lukashenko’s regime, he is serving an eight-year sentence in a penal colony and has been denied family visits.
Named for Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, the EU’s top human rights award has honored defenders of democracy and free expression since 1988. Past recipients include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Ales Bialiatski and Alexei Navalny. Metsola emphasized that the responsibility to carry forward the laureates’ message now lies with others: “This House stands with them, and with all those who continue to demand freedom.”
Society
Last Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Fighter Dies
Michael Smuss, the last surviving fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising who later used art to confront his Holocaust trauma, has died at the age of 99.
Born in 1926 in Gdańsk, Smuss was forced into the Warsaw Ghetto in 1940. He joined the Jewish resistance under Mordechai Anielewicz and helped produce Molotov cocktails in preparation for the 1943 uprising. When Nazi troops entered the ghetto on April 19, he fought from the rooftops and was among the few to survive the nearly month-long battle.
Captured and sent toward Treblinka, he was diverted for forced labor, enduring several camps and a death march before liberation in 1945.
After the war, Smuss lived in the United States and later in Israel, where he married his second wife, Ruthy, and turned to painting as a form of healing. He exhibited his work internationally and spoke to students about the Holocaust. Germany honored him with the Order of Merit for his contributions to education and dialogue.
***
It was announced that the Museum of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising will open on September 21, 2027. It will be situated in historical buildings of the former Bersohn and Bauman Children’s Hospital.
Culture
Surprise Win Amid Global Fan Frenzy
American pianist Eric Lu’s unexpected victory at the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition has stirred lively debate among critics and fans.
Lu, who previously placed fourth a decade ago, claimed the gold medal in a decision musicologist Marcin Majchrowski called “definitely a surprise.” While praising the pianist’s refinement, he noted that Lu’s current artistic vision of Chopin differs significantly from earlier years, leaving some observers underwhelmed by the jury’s choice. Still, he emphasized that competition verdicts are “never entirely fair” and remain the jury’s responsibility.
The only Polish finalist Piotr Alexewicz earned fifth prize — and a major nod from the public. He swept the Audience Award with nearly 20,000 votes, far ahead of fellow laureates Vincent Ong of Malaysia and Tianyao Lyu of China.
The competition — widely regarded as Poland’s most important cultural event and one of the world’s leading classical music stages — has taken on a festival-like atmosphere in Warsaw. Fans have camped outside the venue from early morning, enduring long queues for audition tickets. Many have flown from abroad solely to experience live performances of Chopin’s works.
This year's edition began with 84 pianists from around the globe. With musicians representing more than twenty countries, national pride has fueled intense audience engagement — both online and in person. The Chopin Institute reported millions of viewers following livestreams, while Polish TV networks adapted programming to broadcast performances and the results ceremony.
As the competition concluded on a note of surprise, excitement continues to ripple through Warsaw and beyond. For both winners and their fervent supporters, the Chopin Competition remains a rare cultural event where classical artistry meets the passionate energy of global rivalry — more akin to the World Cup than a traditional concert hall.
***
"Chopin, Chopin!" is a bold and visually striking biographical epic directed by Michał Kwieciński, offering a fresh, modern vision of the legendary composer. Starring Eryk Kulm in the title role, the film reimagines Chopin not as a distant icon but as a vibrant, passionate artist of his time. One of the most ambitious and costly productions in Polish cinema history, it premiered as the opening film of the 50th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. The Fryderyk Chopin Institute collaborated closely on the project, contributing archival materials, expert musical guidance, and pianist Tomasz Ritter—whose performances and improvisations bring Chopin’s genius vividly to life on screen.
Technology
AI Delivers Most Accurate Results in Polish
A new international study has revealed that artificial intelligence chatbots perform more accurately when prompted in Polish than in global languages such as English or Chinese.
Researchers at the University of Maryland tested six leading large language models (LLMs), including those powering ChatGPT and Google Gemini, across 26 languages. They found that AI responses in Polish reached an 88% accuracy rate, the highest among all languages examined.
The result surprised researchers, who described it as “unexpected,” noting that Polish is not typically considered a high-resource language in AI training. Despite having fewer digital materials available than English or Chinese, models handled complex, context-heavy prompts in Polish with remarkable precision.
Languages such as French and Italian followed closely behind, while English ranked sixth with 83.9% accuracy. Chinese performed unexpectedly poorly, finishing near the bottom with just 62.1%. Experts suggested that factors beyond data size—such as grammar structure and the use of Latin script—might explain why Polish and other European languages outperformed traditionally dominant ones.
The findings come as Poland positions itself as a regional leader in artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, the government introduced a homegrown Polish-language chatbot, now being tested by local authorities in the city of Częstochowa, as part of a broader strategy to boost national digital innovation.
Poland & Germany
“Big Bu” Extradited
Polish authorities confirmed that Patryk M., known as “Wielki Bu” (“Big Bu”), has been extradited from Germany to face charges of leading a major drug-trafficking and organized-crime network.
The gangster was detained in Hamburg in September while trying to leave for the United Arab Emirates. A German court approved his extradition under a European Arrest Warrant, and he was flown to Poland this week under heavy security.
Patryk M. gained notoriety in the Polish underworld as a violent gang leader active in drug distribution and extortion. Prosecutors allege he managed a cross-border operation stretching from Poland to Germany and the Netherlands. His Hamburg arrest followed cooperation between Polish and U.S. law-enforcement agencies.
The case drew wide attention because of past photos showing Wielki Bu alongside President Karol Nawrocki. During Nawrocki’s election campaign, the images circulated widely, prompting speculation about links between politics and criminal circles. Nawrocki dismissed the allegations, claiming the encounter was brief and related to amateur boxing. The gangster’s come back to Poland may cause troubles to Nawrocki if Wielki Bu decided to comment more on their acquittance. Many commentators argue that even incidental contact with organized-crime figures damages the credibility of the presidency and Poland’s institutions.
Poland Blocks Illegal Aluminum Scrap from Germany
Polish customs officers have seized more than 37 tonnes of aluminium scrap illegally shipped from Germany — one of the largest such interceptions this year. The cargo was stopped near Jędrzychowice on the A4 motorway after officers from the National Revenue Administration (KAS) found that the Polish recipient lacked a licence to process or store the material.
Although the shipment was registered in Poland’s digital SENT monitoring system, investigators ruled it an unauthorised waste transport. The aluminium was ordered to be returned to Germany, and the domestic recipient now faces heavy fines of up to PLN 1 million (ca. EUR 240.000).
Officials said the case reflects a wider European problem of illegal waste movements disguised as recyclable material. Poland has become a frequent target for such transfers since the tightening of EU waste-export rules. Authorities stressed that registration alone does not prove legality — firms must hold proper environmental permits and show a verifiable end destination for scrap or waste imports.
The seizure highlights Poland’s growing vigilance against environmental and customs offences, as cross-border waste crime continues to rise across the region.
Polls & Trends
Party Support
IBRiS for Rzeczpospolita 24-25.10.2025
Civic Coalition 30,4%
PiS 27,6%
Confederation 15%
Left 6,7%
Crown 5,5%
PSL 4,1%
Together 4%
Poland 2050 1,3%