Polish prosecutors are preparing to request the lifting of parliamentary immunity for Szymon Hołownia and Michał Kobosko amid investigations into alleged degree fraud at Collegium Humanum.
Collegium Humanum Affair: Immunity Proceedings Expected
Work on the detailed justification of documents related to the case is expected to continue through February. Following completion, requests for immunity waivers will be submitted to the Sejm (Polish Parliament) and the European Parliament.
TVN24 reports that the requests are still being finalized in Katowice, but their submission is certain.
No Immunity Requests Yet Submitted to Prosecutors
This week, no requests or draft requests for the lifting of immunity were submitted to the National Prosecutor’s Office in connection with the investigation into the former Collegium Humanum. Specifically, no such requests (or drafts) concerning the immunity of Sejm Vice-Marshal Szymon Hołownia and MEP Michał Kobosko were received, according to National Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Przemysław Nowak.
Allegations Against Hołownia and Kobosko
Hołownia allegedly signed university documents confirming he passed exams he never took, prompting the CBA (Central Anti-Corruption Bureau) to obtain a sample of his signature from Otwock for graphological analysis. Kobosko admitted to submitting recruitment documents for himself and Hołownia to Collegium Humanum in 2020, explaining it as a desire to complete “normal” studies before his presidential campaign.
Investigators are also examining the employment of his partner at the university.
The Collegium Humanum Scandal Unfolds
The scandal initially erupted following publications by “Newsweek” in 2022, revealing the university allegedly sold MBA degrees en masse, often without actual attendance, enabling politicians and local government officials to secure supervisory board positions in state-owned companies. The former rector, Paweł Cz., remains the primary suspect, facing nearly one hundred charges.
Charges and Allegations
Prosecutors accuse university authorities of involvement in an organized crime group, falsifying documents, and money laundering. “Graduates” are accused of corruption and using false documents.
Further details are available in an article on Wyborcza.pl.
The article is being updated.