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Polish FM: PiS presidential hopeful’s refusal to use election court ‘implies guilt’

28.05.2025 14:20
The head of Polish diplomacy Radosław Sikorski has said that Karol Nawrocki, the presidential candidate from the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, appears to be “admitting guilt” by not using Poland’s fast-track election court to respond to serious media allegations about his past.
On the left: Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. On the right: Karol Nawrocki.
On the left: Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. On the right: Karol Nawrocki.Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara/Wojtek Jargiło

Speaking to Polsat News, Sikorski referred to an Onet.pl report quoting two former colleagues of Nawrocki from his time working as a hotel security guard in Sopot.

One alleged that Nawrocki offered him money to help arrange prostitutes for guests at the Grand Hotel. The other said he saw Nawrocki entering the hotel with a woman and her “handler.”

Nawrocki branded ‘pimp’ in heated election controversy

Sikorski noted that MP Agnieszka Pomaska publicly called Nawrocki a pimp.

If the accusations were false, he argued, Nawrocki should have immediately sued her under Poland’s expedited election procedures - designed to resolve defamation cases within 24 hours during campaigns.

“If someone doesn’t file an election court case, they are admitting guilt,” Sikorski said, adding that pursuing only lengthy civil or criminal cases “is not a real denial.”

Addressing questions about Nawrocki’s vetting, Sikorski said intelligence services do not have omniscient reach and background checks may miss past conduct.

“This isn’t communist Poland anymore,” he said.

Nawrocki, who currently heads the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), has strongly denied the claims, calling them “a pile of lies and hatred.”

He announced plans to file a civil defamation suit and a criminal complaint (a process that, unlike Poland's fast-track election court procedure, could take years), and accused Onet.pl of publishing the story to support opposition candidate Rafał Trzaskowski.

Polish FM visits Sri Lanka for first time in over three decades

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski began his official visit to Sri Lanka on Wednesday with a meeting with his local counterpart, Vijitha Herath.

The talks focused on Sri Lanka’s relations with both the European Union and Poland, according to Poland’s foreign ministry.

It marks the first visit by a Polish foreign minister to Sri Lanka since 1989.

'Poland is back in the big game,' says FM Sikorski

Ahead of the trip, Sikorski highlighted recent foreign policy achievements by Poland’s government, saying “Poland is back in the big game” - pointing to successes ranging from securing €150 billion for European defence to countering Russian disinformation on the global stage.

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Source: PR24/MSZ/Polsat News/Onet.pl

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