Białystok prosecutors charged a former Government Protection Bureau officer in reopened investigation into Beata Szydło’s accident.
Former Officer Interrogated
The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Białystok interrogated a former BOR officer in closed session on Wednesday, February 25. His case is a separate investigative line concerning irregularities in the proceedings following the accident.
Investigators will provide more information after completing procedural actions with other suspects. Prosecutors plan to conclude the investigation in March and intend to charge eight more people, including seven former and current officers of the State Protection Service and one civilian.
Fiat Driver Previously Charged
The accident in Oświęcim involved vehicles from a government motorcade and a Fiat Seicento. Injuries were sustained by then-Prime Minister Beata Szydło and passengers in one of the cars. Szydło had a broken sternum and ribs.
The prosecutor charged Fiat driver Sebastian Kościelnik with causing the accident involving the former prime minister. In 2020, the court in Oświęcim ruled that the driver was guilty of involuntary accident causing and conditionally suspended proceedings in his case for one year. The Court of Appeal in Krakow upheld this decision in 2023.
Investigation Reopened
Sebastian Kościelnik claimed that the prosecutor examining his case made many mistakes. He said that although numerous irregularities were reported, they were of no significance to the prosecutor.
In April of last year, the investigation was reopened. The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Białystok announced that it concerns, among other things, exceeding authority and failing to fulfill duties by public officials, as well as making false statements.