The Warsaw district court declared the Polish component of the Sławomir Nowak corruption probe invalid, and prosecutors have lodged an appeal.
Charges Against Sławomir Nowak
In December 2021 the Warsaw Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment charging Sławomir Nowak with 17 offences. Prosecutors alleged that, while serving as president of the Ukrainian road agency Ukrawtodor, he demanded and accepted bribes in exchange for facilitating contracts for Ukrainian road repairs. They also claimed he received money for securing positions in state companies during his tenure as Donald Tusk’s chief of staff (2007‑2009) and as Minister of Transport (2011‑2013). Further accusations included buying money for arranging a meeting between Gdańsk developers and taking part in influencing a doctor to issue medical certificates for him.
Nowak was incarcerated from July 2020 to April 2021.
Polish Link of the Case Dismissed
The Warsaw‑Mokotów District Court dismissed the Polish element of the case, which involved four of the 17 alleged crimes. The court ruled that the indictment on this point was unfounded. Nowak reportedly commented on the decision, saying, “There is no… but a bitter satisfaction that justice is finally approaching, even if slowly.”
Prosecutors Appeal Court Decision
Prosecutors have appealed the dismissal, questioning whether the court could have concluded the matter during an initial organisational session. The regional prosecutor acknowledged doubts about the propriety of the indictment, stating that “the legitimacy of the charges in this case is questionable.” They highlighted concerns about the credibility of the sole witness’s testimony and the existence of the alleged offences.
Sławomir Nowak’s Political Career
Nowak served as a Law and Justice MP from 2004‑2010 and 2011‑2015, and was Minister of Transport in 2011‑2013. In 2013 he resigned amid investigations into inaccuracies in his property declaration. The following year, a first‑instance court fined him for failing to declare a Rolex valued at over 20 k PLN, leading to the abandonment of his parliamentary mandate. In May 2015 the Warsaw Regional Court conditionally dismissed the earlier political corruption case, recognising the offences as of lesser severity. In 2016 he became president of the Ukrainian state road agency Ukrawtodor, a role he held until 2019.
