On 13 November, Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage filed a lawsuit against the Lux Veritatis Foundation, demanding a 210 million‑złoty repayment for the construction of the Memory and Identity Museum in Toruń.
Court Filing
The lawsuit was lodged on 13 November by Minister of Culture and National Heritage Secretary‑General Maciej Wróbel, seeking the return of 210 million zlotys from the Lux Veritatis Foundation. The claim targets the funding of the Memory and Identity Museum project in Toruń.
Minister’s X Statement
In a tweet, Wróbel said the foundation had shown “no willingness to settle” regarding the museum contracts. “We have filed a lawsuit for annulment of the agreements and for the repayment of 210 million zlotys with interest from the State Treasury,” he wrote, adding that the museum must operate on “clear and transparent” principles.
Cultural Minister’s Commentary
Arts Minister Marta Cienkowska echoed the action, stating that “the Polish state regains control over public money.” She added that “after months of futile attempts to negotiate with Lux Veritatis, we are proceeding with the lawsuit to annul the museum agreements and recover the 210 million zlotys with interest.” She vowed to bring the case to conclusion.
Audit Reveals 206 mPLN Expenditure
The National Audit Office (NIK) reported that the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage spent nearly 206 million zlotys on the Memory and Identity Museum in 2018, during the ruling of the Law and Justice party. The audit identified irregularities in the investment’s execution.
Consequently, NIK notified the prosecutor’s office of a “reasonable suspicion” that the former culture minister committed a crime. Allegations include exceeding authority, acting against public interest, and causing property damage to the State Treasury amounting to over 57 million zlotys.
Potential Criminal Investigation
Following the audit findings, the Ministry is under scrutiny, and a formal complaint has been filed with prosecutors regarding possible criminal conduct by the former minister connected to the museum project.
