On Tuesday, 7 October, the European Parliament will vote to lift the immunities of Polish MEPs Michał Dworczyk and Daniel Obajtek, amid accusations of an email scandal and political surveillance.
Vote on Stripping Immunities of Dworczyk and Obajtek
Members of the European Parliament are scheduled to decide on the immunity of Michał Dworczyk, former chief of the Prime Minister’s Office, and Daniel Obajtek, former CEO of Orlen. The vote, set for Tuesday, 7 October around noon, follows allegations that Dworczyk failed to meet his duties, obstructed investigations, and that Obajtek oversaw surveillance of Platforma Obywatelska politicians during his tenure.
Legal Committee’s Stance and Polish Opposition Response
The Parliament’s Legal Committee, which examined requests for immunity removal, expressed no doubts about proceeding. A Platforma Obywatelska member, Michał Wawrykiewicz, noted the vast scale of crimes potentially committed during Law and Justice’s rule and accused a politically motivated Polish prosecution of bias. A Law and Justice representative, Tobiasz Bocheński, dismissed the possibility of a fair trial. Earlier in the term, other Polish MEPs from the opposition—Mariusz Kamiński, Maciej Wąsik, Adam Bielan and Grzegorz Braun—had lost their immunities.
Email Scandal and Contents of Dworczyk’s Mailbox
Since June 2021, excerpts supposedly from Dworczyk’s private email were published on the platform Poufna Rozmowa. The correspondence included messages with then‑Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, military officers, and security officials. Colonel Krzysztof Gaj, an adviser to Dworczyk, reportedly shared information on negotiations over a short‑range air‑defence system dubbed “Narew” and tried to tarnish the reputations of two Weapons Inspectorate officers involved with the system. The emails also contained photographs, schematics of military equipment, and, in some cases, a “NATO confidential” clause.
