Daughters of a Polish Peasants Party MP are accused of wheedling almost 200,000 zlotys of the EU Regional Development Fund.  

In 2006 two sisters received a 200,000-zlotys (45,000 euros) subsidy from the EU Regional Development Fund to build a guesthouse at the Wigry Lake in the north-eastern region of  Podlaskie. At that time their father was a deputy head of the region.  

The Supreme Auditing Chamber (NIK), while monitoring the local authorities in Bialystok, discovered a series of mistakes and dishonesties in the documents filed by the sisters. According to the papers, the design of the building was approved by local officials and Wigierski National Park’s authorities, which in fact happened afterwards. Also, the building was supposed to be smaller and the owners were supposed to have experience in running a guesthouse. None of these requirements were met. 

In January, due to inaccuracies, local authorities in Bialystok asked the sisters to return 51,000 zlotys (12,000 euros), i.e. a part of the EU subsidy, which was already handled to them. They gave the money back. Meanwhile, it turned out that the sisters also wheedled 400,000-zlotys (91,000 euros) bank loan, on the basis of the same documents.  

The sisters are accused of fraud but they deny the allegations. They may face up to five years in prison.  (mg/pg)