Polish parliament speaker apologises over flights

Warsaw, Aug 5 (AFP) Polish parliament speaker Marek Kuchcinski apologised Monday after the opposition said he had used government planes for personal travel, sparking a scandal as the country gears up for elections. Kuchcinski, 63, the second most powerful politician according to the constitution, used government planes as well as military helicopters and aircraft around a hundred times over the last few years, according to documents released by the opposition and local media.

A key member of the ruling right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has been in power since 2015, he was accompanied by family on 23 of the flights. "I am aware that the public has taken a negative view of my behaviour. That is why I'd like to apologise to everyone who took offence," Kuchcinski told reporters.

"At the same time I'd like to firmly stress that I acted in line with the law," he said, adding that a substantial number of the flights were related to his work as parliament speaker. The liberal opposition has called for Kuchcinski to resign, saying most of the flights took place over the weekend between the capital Warsaw and the region of Rzeszow, where the lawmaker is from.

In a statement, Kuchcinski admitted that in one case his wife took a government plane without him. He promised to contribute 28,000 zloty (6,500 euros, USD 7,250) to a fund for modernising the army to offset the cost of that flight.

Earlier he had said he gave a separate 15,000 zloty to charity to make up for the cost of family members on flights they took together. The exact details of all of his flights are to be published on the parliament's website.

PiS appears on track to score another win at this year's general election, according to recent opinion polls. (AFP) SCY SCY

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