Warsaw court ruled President’s Office must provide information about gifts received from businessman Rafał Brzoska.
Background on Gifts Publication
The case relates to a September publication in Gazeta Wyborcza, which reported that at the beginning of President Karol Nawrocki’s term, businessman Rafał Brzoska, founder of InPost, along with his wife Omena Mensah, visited the president. According to the publication, they brought over 20 gift packages in a separate car for Nawrocki, his wife Marta, and their three children, with each package marked with the recipient’s name.
Watchdog Poland’s Request
After this publication, Citizen Network Watchdog Poland, an organization focused on public transparency, approached the President’s Office with a request for public information. The organization wanted to learn about the nature and purpose of the visit, what gifts were received, and whether any notes, protocols, or other documents were created in relation to the meeting.
Legal Action and Court Ruling
When the chancellery responded that it did not possess this information—while noting that a meeting calendar exists but lacks public information value—Watchdog Poland took the case to court, filing a complaint against the head of the President’s Office, Zbigniew Bogucki. The non-final ruling was issued on January 23, as reported by Rzeczpospolita on March 3. The Warsaw Administrative Court stated that “there is no doubt for the court examining this case that the head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland remains inactive in considering the applicant’s request.”
Reactions to the Ruling
“We are both satisfied and dissatisfied with this ruling,” commented Szymon Osowski in an interview with Rz. “While the court acknowledged our position, it also ruled that public information will only have to be disclosed if the meeting had an official character. We fear that the President’s Office might exploit this loophole.” He added, “This is, moreover, a dangerous loophole for public opinion because the president is not an ordinary citizen and should be under full control. Exceptions should only apply to strictly family meetings.”
Nature of the Gifts
Earlier, Omena Mensah’s advisor commented on the matter. “In reality, three small packages containing symbolic gifts of a commemorative and sentimental nature were handed over—among them puzzles and small items from Ghana, the home country of Mrs. Omena Mensah, where her Omenaa Foundation operates, supporting children freed from labor exploitation,” wrote Justyna Komorek, Mensah’s personal PR advisor.
Rationale for Disclosure
Watchdog Poland president Szymon Osowski pointed out that Rafał Brzoska is one of Poland’s wealthiest individuals and his company operates in markets subject to frequent regulation. “We cannot exclude that during Nawrocki’s term, a bill concerning the courier services market may land on his desk. The giving of gifts by a businessman could be seen as an attempt to gain favor. That is why the public has the right to know what these gifts were and whether they had high value,” he explained. Osowski emphasized that unlike other high-ranking state officials, the president is not required to report gifts and donations in a so-called benefits register.
