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Polish PM comments on housing controversy involving presidential candidate Nawrocki

06.05.2025 15:00
Poland’s prime minister has addressed the controversy surrounding right-wing presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, who acquired an apartment from an elderly man in the Baltic city of Gdańsk under unclear circumstances.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara

During a press conference in the Netherlands on Monday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that, like many in Poland, he is closely following the ongoing presidential campaign.

Referring to the housing controversy, Tusk said that "the situation smells bad."

He added that Nawrocki's deal raised serious ethical concerns and public unease, indicating that Nawrocki's actions could be perceived as morally questionable, potentially damaging his reputation and campaign.

“If I understand correctly, Mr Nawrocki was supposed to look after Mr Jerzy - but instead, he looked after the elderly man's apartment. So one might ask: is he the person we want looking after Poland?” Tusk said with a hint of irony.

PM Tusk recalls property scandals involving PiS figures

In a subsequent post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Tusk referenced several similar property scandals involving members of the right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party.

"Mateusz, Karol, Jarosław, Joachim – they should all be in the housing business. Land, apartments, skyscrapers, renovations … All cheap or free. You won't find better," Tusk mocked, recalling a scandal involving former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's acquisition of large plots of land from the Catholic Church, as well as other property-related controversies.

Some of these remain unresolved, with figures such as Jarosław Kaczyński and Joachim Brudziński still facing legal scrutiny over their involvement.

Controversy over PiS presidential candidate Nawrocki intensifies

On Tuesday, Onet.pl reported that Anna Kanigowska, a social services worker who had been caring for Mr. Jerzy - an elderly man whose apartment was taken over by PiS presidential candidate Nawrocki - accused the politician of failing to provide any real assistance beyond acquiring the man’s property.

The woman claimed that Nawrocki falsely stated he had been paying the utility bills for the apartment.

"Do tego bezczelnie kłamie, że płacił rachunki" - mówi opiekunka mężczyzny, którego mieszkanie przejął Karol Nawrocki....

Opublikowany przez Onet Wtorek, 6 maja 2025

The city of Gdańsk later revealed that it was the local authorities, not Nawrocki, who had been covering the costs of the elderly man's care at a nursing home, where he requires 24/7 assistance.

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Source: X/@donaldtusk/Onet.pl/DGP