As parliamentarians, my wife and I take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment in Warsaw. Settlements are between the Sejm office and the owners, said Arkadiusz Myrcha, KO MP and deputy minister of justice, in an interview with a TVN24 journalist. The case of Myrcha and Kinga Gajewska’s apartment was commented on by the Speaker of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia.
Arkadiusz Myrcha and Kinga Gajewska, MPs and spouses from the Civic Coalition, receive their housing allowance for renting a flat in the capital. Even though they live together, each of them receives a lump sum of nearly PLN 4,000.
READ MORE: Two additions, one apartment for a parliamentary couple
A copy of Myrcha’s letter to the parliamentary ethics committee regarding the declaration of assets for 2022 appeared on social media. “Due to my parliamentary duties, I spend a large part of my working days in Warsaw. 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,” says the leaked letter. Neither Myrcha nor the ethics committee confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Hołownia: there’s something I’m having trouble with
Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia was asked about this matter by journalists on Wednesday. As he said, “it’s not just a matter of housing allowances, because MPs are simply entitled to them.” – Moreover, I have great respect for families, especially those with three children, in which both the mother and father are actively involved in serving the state and reconcile it with many parental responsibilities. Full respect, said the Speaker of the Sejm.
– There is one thing in this matter that raises serious doubts for me – emphasized Hołownia and added that it concerns Myrcha’s statement that the place of residence in Warsaw is solely for tax purposes. – This is something I have trouble with. Either you live and are registered and the matter is clear, or you live somewhere else, but you write that you are registered (…) you are somewhere else because there is some tax benefit or a kindergarten for children or something else – said Hołownia.
According to the Speaker of the Sejm, “the relevant committees should present their opinion on this matter.” – I will be in dialogue with the ethics committee, the rules committee, and the parliamentary affairs committee so that, firstly, we obtain a clear position of MP Myrcha on what he thinks about this situation, and secondly, to secure the system so that such things do not happen again They appeared and did not go away – assured Hołownia.
– This is not how it should be, we shouldn’t write such things and do such things. I have no doubts here – emphasized the Speaker of the Chamber.
Myrcha: we rent an apartment, the Sejm office handles the settlements
Myrcha, in a conversation with a TVN24 journalist, said on Wednesday that the house he and his wife are building in Błonie “is being finished”, but “there is still some finishing work left”. – It is not prepared enough for children to live there safely on a daily basis – he emphasized.
– We do not have a place of residence in Warsaw, the only place we have in common at the moment is in Toruń. As parliamentarians, we take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment in Warsaw. The settlements are between the Sejm office and the owners (of the rented apartment – ed.) – he added.
Myrcha: we rent an apartment, the settlements are handled by the SejmuTVN24 office
photo-source">Source of main photo: TVN24
