Mayor of Sopot accused of corruption

A businessman has accused Jacek Karnowski, the Mayor of Sopot, of trying to bribe him while making a property deal.

Slawomir Julke, a businessman from the seaside resort of Sopot, northern Poland, has revealed to Rzeczpospolita daily that the Mayor of Sopot, Jacek Karnowski from the ruling Civic Platform party demanded two flats from him in return for planning permission for the expansion of a residential building.

The Chairman of the Supreme Chamber of Control (NIK), Jacek Jezierski told Polish Radio One Tuesday morning he hoped that the corruption case described by Rzeczpospolita was a one-off case, but if the charges against the Sopot Mayor were corroborated, a comprehensive investigation would have to be conducted.

The head of NIK also reminded that Sopot had been subjected to many inspections, but he said another comprehensive audit in Sopot should go ahead.

The corruption case involving the Mayor of Sopot was referred to the State Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.

Jacek Kurski from the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) said he was not surprised at the media allegations regarding the Sopot Mayor’s involvement in corruption. Kurski told Polish Radio One that his party had notified prosecutors about cases of corruption among governing politicians from the Pomerania Region, northern Poland in the past.

The Mayor of Sopot Jacek Karnowski has denied the allegations.

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