On Oct. 7, the Krakow tax office froze the account of the Centre Macierz Polonii Foundation, linked to former TVP commentator Miłosz Manasterski, demanding a 200,000 PLN refund for unfulfilled events.
Tax office freezes foundation account
The Krakow tax office seized the account of the Centre Macierz Polonii Foundation. The move follows a report by the National Freedom Institute that the foundation must refund 200,000 PLN for events that never took place.
Allegations of unpaid events
NIW’s director, Michał Braun, said that the foundation was supposed to return money for events that never occurred. The seized account is under investigation for verifying that the foundation received funds but failed to execute the promised activities.
Earlier funding and grant disputes
During the PiS administration, the foundation was slated to receive hundreds of thousands of PLN from the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, the Presidential Office, and three NIW grants totaling 828,000 PLN. It was also commissioned to organize the Warsaw Uprising Run, yet no credible proof of the run’s organization has been produced.
Background on Manasterski
Miłosz Manasterski was a TVP commentator honored in June by President Andrzej Duda with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland for “outstanding achievements in professional and social activities beneficial for the country.” He was named deputy chairman of the Centre Macierz Polonii Foundation in 2019, though he claimed to have resigned; he now works as a commentator on TV Republika.
Potential legal consequences
The Krakow prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the alleged submission of falsified documents to obtain subsidies. Violations carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
