Poland’s justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro has said that tape recordings of the onetime PM, of the ex-communist SLD, Jozef Oleksy, could lead to criminal proceedings.

The so called ‘Oleksy tapes’, where the former PM expressed uncomplimentary and possibly incriminating opinions of members of the post communist Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) may lead to general investigation, says the interior minister.

The tapes, which were leaked to the media on Thursday, record a private conversation Jozef Oleksy had with one of Poland’s richest businessmen, Aleksander Gudzowaty.

Gudzowaty staged meetings with leftists politicians to record their conversations, it is alleged. The tapes reveal the corruption which ruled in the SLD, says the government.

In the tapes, Oleksy accused former president Aleksander Kwasniewski of illegal financial procedures, spoke very harshly of the present SLD leader Wojciech Olejkniczak and severely criticized several other senior members of the party.

The publication of the tapes may bring about a loss of support for the left, comment analysts, leading to a split in the SLD and help the ruling right wing government.

Poland’s justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro said that should the information in the recordings prove correct it would mean dealing with many cases breaching the penal code.

Minister Ziobro pointed out that the people referred to in the tapes hold public functions, so have to be verified.

The prosecution and the National Agency for Internal Security have already begun investigations as to the authenticity of the tapes. Jozef Oleksy has publicly apologised for his remarks in what he said was a strictly private conversation.

SLD leaders and those mentioned in the tapes are considering taking libel action against Jozef Oleksy.