Polish Central Bank Governor Faces Tribunal Accusations

The National Bank of Poland notified prosecutors about possible crimes committed by the parliament speaker and a committee head involving the central bank governor. Governor Adam Glapinski, accused of lacking independence and misleading financials, rebuffed claims, urging respect for the bank’s independence.

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) has alerted prosecutors about potential crimes involving the parliament speaker and a parliamentary committee head in their attempts to bring the central bank's governor before a tribunal. The central bank governor, Adam Glapinski, faces accusations from ruling coalition lawmakers, including claims of lack of independence from the previous government, violating rules that prevent the central bank from financing government debt, and misleading the finance ministry on financial results.

Glapinski, with long-standing ties to Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, rebutted the accusations on Thursday, urging the government and lawmakers to uphold the bank's independence. On Friday, the NBP reported to prosecutors potential legal infractions by Szymon Holownia, the speaker of the lower house, and Zdzislaw Gawlik, the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Responsibility.

The NBP's notification cited the unlawful and baseless actions related to a preliminary motion to hold Glapinski constitutionally accountable, despite lacking legal grounds. Gawlik and Holownia's offices did not immediately respond for comments. Meanwhile, Gawlik stated that the committee would meet on Sept. 24 to begin hearings, noting that final motions to bring top officials before a State Tribunal must pass a parliamentary vote.

(With inputs from agencies.)