Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized Poland’s ruling PiS coalition on 4 November, likening its use of state power to Russia’s oligarchs and accusing it of stealing national assets.
Tusk’s High‑Speed Train Comment
On the morning of 4 November, Prime Minister Donald Tusk released a new commentary on the sale of a plot in Zabłotnia, Masovia, intended for the Central Communication Port (CPK) high‑speed rail corridor.
Tusk stated, “In Russia, oligarchs used large sums of money to gain power. In Poland, PiS members used power to gain large sums of money. Both for the good of the nation, of course.”
CPK Acronym Controversy
Following the disclosure of the land sale on 1 December 2023, during the brief government of Minister of Agriculture Mateusz Morawiecki, Tusk elaborated on the CPK acronym, claiming “all PiS steals.”
Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak announced that the name Central Communication Port would be removed, saying the CPK name had been compromised and would change along with the project. He stated he had opposed the name from the outset because “the government does not centralize Poland.”
Opposition’s Judicial Critique
Jarosław Kaczyński, head of the opposition Law and Justice party, attacked the government’s handling of the judiciary on Monday evening, arguing that actions in courts were a payment for electoral support and that crimes were being shielded.
He described convicted individuals as “murderers and sexual degenerates” who receive “drunk sentencing” and condemned the perceived lack of accountability as a direct threat to national security.
Minister Telus Denies Knowledge
Former Agriculture Minister Robert Telus issued a statement on 2 November denying any knowledge of the sale of plot 87/1 in Zabłotnia, noting that no documents bearing his signature were found.
He claimed the matter never reached his desk and expressed being “devastated,” while current Minister Stefan Krajewski indicated a similar stance.
