Michal Kaminski did not go quietly, yesterday, after being sacked by the prime minister as head of Poland’s anti-corruption bureau, leaving new accusations of sleaze at the finance ministry and stock exchange.

Micjal Kaminski - officially dismissed on Tuesday - will be replaced by Pawel Wojtunik to lead the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA).

A press release from the CBA states that: “on the 13 October, Prime Minister Donald Tusk put Pawel Wojtunik in charge of the responsibilities of the head of the CBA.”

Last week, PM Tusk announced plans to fire Kaminski after he allegedly used the bureau to pursue political opponents in the Civic Platform party.

According to legal procedure, Tusk was required to await the approval of a parliamentary commission, a security services work group and President Lech Kaczynski before the final decision was taken. The commission and work group approved Wojtunik, while Kaczynski has not given a decision.

New allegations

Meanwhile, the CBA has made new accusations of corruption in the Ministry of Finance and during the privatisation of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The bureau has asked the Regional Prosecutor to look into the charges.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has also informed the Prosecutors Office about fraudulent practices at the Trzebinia Refinery.

According to dziennik.pl CBA has notified about mafia type dealings of the management of this fuel processing plant causing serious losses in State revenue.

The web site quotes incoming justice minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski who told the TVN 24 news station that the case spans the period from 2001 to 2007 during the terms of four previous governments.

Kwiatkowski added that it does not involve any officials from the current Civic Platform (PO) – Polish Peasant Party (PSL) governing coalition.

Unofficial information published by dziennik.pl suggests a special regulation signed by erstwhile deputy finance minister Andrzej Parafinowicz exempted the Trzebinia Refinery from a gigantic indemnity owed to the State Treasury.

The allegations follow charges of corruption within the privatisation of the Gdynia and Szczecin shipyards and gambling industry.

The new head of the CBA - an agency which has, from its inception, been accused of using its powers to pursue political opponets of the Law and Justice party - is Pawel Wojtunik. Born in 1972, he graduated from the law faculty at the University of Bialystok, in northwestern Poland. The official has worked in the police department since 1992, becoming involved in the National Police Headquarters organized crime unit in 1996.

In 2007, Wojtunik was appointed head of the Central Investigation Bureau, though he took a half-year leave to work in London at the Polish Embassy and with Scotland Yard. (pg/ss/mmj)