Poland’s government and opposition are trading accusations over the Zondacrypto scandal and alleged financial ties to a foundation linked to a prominent opposition figure.
Ziobro Foundation Received Funds from Zondacrypto Owner
Minister Tomasz Siemoniak stated that the foundation of Zbigniew Ziobro, the Institute of Polish Sovereignty, received 450,000 złoty from the owner of Zondacrypto, a company registered outside of Poland and not subject to Polish jurisdiction.
Siemoniak emphasized that a significant portion of these funds were not used for the foundation’s stated purpose of strengthening Polish sovereignty, but rather to cover legal fees for PiS politicians facing legal and criminal issues.
Siemoniak Accuses Ziobro’s Camp of “Shamelessness”
Siemoniak criticized Ziobro’s allies for falsely accusing the government of being responsible for the foundation receiving funds from Zondacrypto, while simultaneously voting against subjecting the cryptocurrency market to Polish oversight. He labeled this behavior as “the height of shamelessness.”
PiS Demands Answers on Zondacrypto
During a press conference, PiS politicians Tobiasz Bocheński and Jacek Ozdoba questioned the government regarding its handling of the Zondacrypto case.
They inquired about the actions taken by the prosecutor’s office over the past year, the rationale behind a lobbying-driven law benefiting Zondacrypto, the delay in implementing EU’s MiCA regulations, and the lack of intervention despite concerns raised by Estonian authorities.
Presidential Veto on Crypto Asset Law Upheld
On April 18th, the Sejm failed to override the presidential veto on the crypto asset law, which included supervisory measures like the ability for the Financial Supervision Commission to halt public cryptocurrency offerings.
The President deemed the regulations overly restrictive, while the ruling coalition argued the lack of legislation created legal loopholes. Clubs from KO, PSL, Lewica, Centrum, and Polska 2050 voted to uphold the veto; PiS and Konfederacja voted against.