PM Tusk faces the media

Wide spread changes in Poland’s government are expected today in the wake of a corruption scandal which has rocked PM Tusk’s cabinet.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk is expected to announce personnel changes by 14.00 CET, Wednesday, following accusations that government members were involved in lobbying for betting firms and recent scandals revolving around the activities of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Prime Minister Tusk tried to assure he is in control of the situation.

 “First there are no doubts as to the causes of the situation and the people who are responsible for it,” he told reporters, Tuesday. “We want to know how the allegations of illegal lobbying [made by the Anti-Corruption Bureau] came about.  Secondly we have to decide whether there has been political abuse of the special services.”

The government has alleged that the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which was set up by the previous Law and Justice-led government, has been acting in a political manner and targeting members of the government and left wing politicians.

Euro gamble

The latest crisis broke out after the Anti Corruption Bureau (CBA) accused Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki and head of the Civic Platform's parliamentary party Zbigniew Chlebowski of lobbying on behalf of the gambling industry to oppose plans to increase taxes on betting  - worth an estimated 500 million zloty - to fund preparations for the Euro 2012 football championships.

Following the resignation of both Chlebowski and Drzewiecki, it is speculated that Deputy Prime Minister Grzegorz Schetyna, Justice Minister Andrzej Czuma and deputy Economy Minister Adam Szejnfeld may also face the axe over the affair.

The Rzeczpospolita newspaper says that a possible replacement for Minister Czuma could be the post-communist politician and former a former justice minister, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz.

Head of the CBA, Mariusz Kaminski, will also be sacked, according to media reports.

Donald Tusk's ruling Civic Platform party is facing the biggest crisis since coming into power two years ago . The PM is keen to improve the image of the party, which according to recent opinion polls has lost some 6 percentage points in support and 41 percent say they trust the government less than they did before the scandal broke out. (ab/pg)