Polish government corruption charged by opposition

Classified Polnews

Warsaw, Poland September 27, 2006. In a startling overnight revelation on Polish television by a Polish political party member of Poland's Samoobrona, representative of Poland's Prime Minister are shown in secret tapes offering financial help at the expense of the Polish taxpayer. The tapes also show offers of senior Polish government positions in exchange for votes to support Poland's majority political party, Law and Justice.

Samoobrona Party member, Renata Beger, secretly taped negotiations between two members of the Prime Minister's Cabinet offering her senior positions in the Polish government.

But what is most shocking to many people is that involved in the discussions was an implication that the Polish Minister of Justice would intervene on behalf of Beger to have the court declare invalid the obligation to pay money due under a promissory note.

She was told that the promissory note that she signed and which is being held over the hand of her and all other Samoobrona party members with the threat to be cashed if they leave the Samoobrona party, could be called and that cash would have to be paid. But in return for her vote, the Polish parliament could make that payment until a court case involving the payment could be heard and the ruling appealed. She was assured that on appeal she would win the case.

The revelation was made overnight and immediate calls by the opposition for the resignation of the government are being heard.

The government response is currently are disjointed and generally dismissing all allegations as being politically motivated and being without basis.