The opposition speaks out on the KPO issue. Trams instead of yachts

On Wednesday, Law and Justice councillors from Szczecin decided to comment on the KPO funds and the scandal surrounding subsidies awarded for questionable needs and projects.

At a conference organised in front of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office, PiS councillors criticised the way in which the current government allocated financial resources from the KPO.

"These aren't funds from heaven. These are funds generated by us, by the Polish state within European structures, and these are funds that we will all contribute to, that we will all have to actually return to the treasury, to one common European budget. So these aren't funds that are falling from the trees or like rain from the sky. These are funds that cost money," emphasized Councilor Krzysztof Romianowski. "Because it's difficult to find wisdom in allocating funds for, say, a swingers' club. It's also difficult to find some logic and justification in allocating funds for, say, a sauna or a solarium. After all, we all know that solariums are things, or places, that everyone avoids because they are simply harmful to human health. But it's also difficult to find logic in spending funds on new yachts. After all, these are luxury goods. These are not goods that should be financed with public funds."

Councilor Julia Szałabawka touched upon a local topic, mentioning MP Artur Łącki, who is associated with our region and is also a beneficiary of funds from the KPO.

"In 2019, MP Łącki said that the 500+ program demoralizes people. And this man has no shame, no scruples about his wife taking over a million złoty of public funds from the KPO (National Pomeranian Voivodeship Program) to modernize and renovate her hotel. This is a disgrace for our region. Once again, we must be ashamed of them. We must be ashamed that such people are from here, from our Szczecin, from our Western Pomerania," the councilor said during the conference.

Regional councilor Agnieszka Kurzawa emphasized that Witold Jabłoński, former director of the Maritime Science Centre and current president of the Polish Entrepreneurship Foundation, is responsible for allocating the funds.

"Let's note one more thing, because many people forget about it. Who allocated the KPO funds in West Pomerania? Witold Jabłoński, a prominent Civic Platform activist, became the president of the Entrepreneurship Foundation. He was previously the director of the Marine Science Centre, which also demonstrated his inability to carry out this investment within the previously established financial framework. This is the person who distributed the funds in West Pomerania from the National Reconstruction Programme, and we cannot agree to that either. I ask everyone to emphasize who is awarding these funds. This is a Civic Platform activist, a fat cat from the Civic Platform, who for many years was the director of the Marine Science Centre and previously also served as deputy marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship."

Dariusz Smoliński proposed that MP Artur Łącki give up one million zlotys to renovate the tram depot in Golęcin.

"If, for example, MP Łącki gave up that million złoty and donated it to expansion, we'd already have the first million, probably six or five million. That would be a good start, Mr. Łącki," the councilor appealed.

More on this topic in "Kurier Szczeciński" and eKurier from August 14, 2025.

Agata JANKOWSKA