Polish Prosecutors Seize Assets of Maciej Świrski in Polish National Foundation Probe

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów has seized assets, bank accounts, and salary allocations belonging to former Polish National Foundation vice-president Maciej Świrski amid an ongoing investigation into the “Fair Courts” campaign.

Asset Seizure Measures Imposed

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów has issued three separate orders concerning the assets of Maciej Świrski, covering his owned assets and the salary paid by the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT). Individual limits range from PLN 200,000 to PLN 5 million.

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów secured a portion of the assets of Maciej Świrski, former vice-president of the Polish National Foundation and former chairman of the National Broadcasting Council. Świrski remains a member of the KRRiT, although he was dismissed from his role as chairman of the body in July 2025.

Regional Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Prosecutor Dorota Sokołowska-Mach stated that following procedural actions, three property seizure orders were issued. The first covers real estate co-owned by the suspect up to PLN 1 million, while the second targets Świrski’s bank account up to PLN 200,000, a decision the bank executed in full.

The third order provides for the seizure of the salary paid to Świrski for his work at the National Broadcasting Council, with the upper limit set at PLN 5 million. The amounts provided by the prosecutor’s office represent individual seizure limits rather than information on the current value of the seized assets or the amount of salary already deducted.

Asset seizure does not mean property forfeiture or a ruling on guilt, but rather serves to secure the execution of a future judgment—including potential damages, forfeiture, or payment obligations—if the proceedings end in a final conviction.

Charges Concerning the “Fair Courts” Campaign

The proceedings concern the “Fair Courts” media campaign carried out in 2017 by the Polish National Foundation. Central Anticorruption Bureau officers detained Maciej Świrski and Cezary Jurkiewicz, former president of the PFN, on July 14, 2026, in Warsaw and the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.

The prosecutor’s office charged both men with acting jointly and in agreement to abuse powers and fail to fulfill duties related to managing the foundation’s assets. According to investigators, the campaign was contrary to the statutory objectives of the PFN, and the suspects did not plead guilty and provided explanations.

The charges were qualified under Article 296 § 1 and 3 of the Penal Code and Article 49c of the Political Parties Act, carrying a penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment. Prosecutors applied non-custodial preventive measures against both men, including a ban on leaving Poland combined with the retention of passports.

Cezary Jurkiewicz’s assets were also subjected to asset seizure, with a compulsory mortgage established up to PLN 2 million on jointly owned built-up land property.

Estimated Damages and Campaign Context

Investigators estimated the damage caused to the Polish National Foundation at least PLN 8,428,542.74, stating the money was spent on a campaign that constituted political marketing for Law and Justice (PiS) and Solidarity Poland. The non-monetary values transferred to both parties were valued by the prosecutor’s office at the exact same amount.

The campaign ran across the internet, television, and billboards in Polish cities, highlighting improper or criminal behaviors of individual judges using slogans regarding theft, lies, and alcohol consumption, alongside arguments for judicial reforms prepared by the United Right government.

The action took place during intense political disputes over judicial reforms, drawing demonstrations across many cities and accusations from opponents that the PFN used state-owned company funds to support the ruling party’s messaging.

Świrski presented the campaign in 2017 as a communication success, reporting a cost of slightly over PLN 8 million to reach a broad audience. The current amount indicated by the prosecutor’s office is higher, standing at no less than PLN 8,428,542.74.

Investigation Background and Penalties

The proceedings were initiated by a notification from the Mayor of Warsaw. The Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office initially refused to initiate an investigation in 2020, but the decision was reissued after the Warsaw Regional Court annulled the previous ruling.

The case was later listed in a report by a National Prosecutor’s Office team investigating high-profile cases from 2016–2023, leading to the formal opening of the investigation on June 19, 2024, at the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office before transfer to the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów and the CBA delegation in Rzeszów.

The scope of the proceedings includes PFN management decisions, the origins of the campaign, and potential violations of the Political Parties Act regarding non-monetary political marketing benefits provided to political groups.

Former Prime Minister Beata Szydło is scheduled to be questioned as a witness in the same investigation, having failed to appear multiple times without proper justification, prompting the Rzeszów Regional Prosecutor’s Office to impose a PLN 3,000 fine on July 29.

The fine represents the maximum penalty under Article 285 § 1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for unjustified witness absenteeism, which is subject to an appeal. Szydło’s hearing aims to establish the commissioning and organization of the campaign established in 2016 during her tenure as prime minister.

History of the Polish National Foundation

Established by 17 state-controlled entities, the Polish National Foundation’s original statutory goals included promoting Poland’s image and economy, supporting entrepreneurship, and building positive perceptions of state-company investments.

The Supreme Audit Office (NIK) reported that founders were to transfer PLN 97.5 million to the founding fund over a 10-year mechanism, totaling PLN 633.75 million by 2026. NIK was unable to conduct a full audit because the management initially provided only general information before refusing key documents required to assess the legality and economic viability of its activities.