- For many, apart from doubts about the apartment, the couple’s purchases for their parliamentary offices are even more interesting
- Artur Dziambor reveals what MPs hear about office purchases at the beginning of the term. He remembers the questions and ideas that come to politicians’ minds at that time
- Will Gajewska and Myrcha face consequences? Andrzej Szejna from the Left indicates who should make the decision
- More similar texts can be found on the Onet home page
Gajewska and Myrcha receive housing allowance despite having a house near Warsaw. As they explained, the property has been under construction for several years. The problem is that it was included in the KO MP’s declaration of assets only in 2023. This is probably why the politician submitted a new document to the Sejm in which she admits to receiving the property from her parents.
Arkadiusz Myrcha’s statement, which was supposed to clarify the matter, only raised further doubts. “In order to ensure a place for my children in public educational institutions, I had to become a taxpayer in Warsaw. Therefore, the place of residence in Warsaw is for purely tax purposes” — wrote the politician in a letter to the Deputies’ Ethics Committee.
But for many, even more interesting are the couple’s purchases for their parliamentary offices. Myrcha purchased four coffee machines within two years, spending a total of almost PLN 7,500 on them. zloty. In 2021, Gajewska equipped her office with a cleaning robot for over PLN 2.1 thousand. PLN, a vacuum cleaner for almost PLN 235, and an Apple Watch for PLN 1,000. PLN 429
Continuation of the material below the video
“More an extravagance than a real need”
– There was a bit of a hate attack on them. And yet every MP who does not live in the capital is entitled to funding – we hear from one MP of the Civic Coalition who asked to remain anonymous.
— I don’t understand this watch at all. I can justify the purchase of a laptop, phone, headphones, and recording equipment because the MP needs it for work. But I cannot understand why a member of parliament buys a watch – says former MP Artur Dziambor in an interview with Onet.
— The MP should buy his watch with private money. Just like a car – adds the politician, formerly associated with Konfederacja and currently with PSL.
Even MPs from the Civic Coalition think similarly on this matter. – Smart Watch is more of an extravagance than a real need for a parliamentary office – admits one of the KO MPs. But he reserves: – However, I do not know what this watch was used for in the parliamentary office.
“I had to return this equipment”
Dziambor appeals not to go to extremes. — The equipment purchased for the parliamentary office is not the property of the deputy, but of the parliamentary chancellery. And when the term of office ends and the MP is not re-elected, he must pass this equipment, he says.
— When I finished my adventure in the Sejm, I gave away everything, for example my laptop. I only bought a four-year-old iPhone, but I gave the office another, new phone, he assures.
The former MP admits that “in the matter of parliamentary offices there are some absurdities that should be cut short.” — That’s why the institutions in the Chancellery of the Sejm exist, to force MPs to return their money if something doesn’t seem quite right, he says.
However, it points to the other side of the coin. — If you compare the money for a parliamentary office in the Polish Sejm with the money that an MEP receives in total… there is a difference. The MEP receives such funds that he is able to build a small company around himself. And at most, an MP can employ one person for the national average salary, another for the minimum wage, and the office will pay for the rest, comments Dziambor.
Can I buy a microwave for the office?
In Poland, MPs can count on a lump sum of PLN 22,000 for running a parliamentary office. zloty. These funds can be spent, among others: for employee remuneration, telecommunications services and car travel related to the performance of the mandate.
Dziambor also reminds that in each term, MPs receive training on how to spend their parliamentary offices. — They receive simple information like: “with this money I can buy a laptop, a phone, but I can’t buy a car.” During my training, MPs asked if they could buy a microwave and a coffee machine for their office. And yes, they can. I would like to emphasize once again that this equipment is the property of the Chancellery of the Sejm anyway, he says.
Will there be consequences?
Politicians from the ruling coalition do not say directly whether the political marriage should face any consequences. In an interview with Onet, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrzej Szejna indicates who should make the decision.
— I’m waiting for Szymon Hołownia to comment on this. He should take the position, says Andrzej Szejna from the Left. And the Speaker of the Sejm has already expressed his doubts.
In turn, MPs from the ruling coalition say directly: – Consequences? What for? After all, no law was broken. It may not look good, but we remember more serious accusations against PiS MPs who did not face any consequences. Alternatively, Myrcha should stop receiving this housing allowance.
