Investigation into Polish Election Campaign Funding Begins

The news in Polish

1. śledztwo  (n.)
   Procedura badania określonych działań, mająca na celu ustalenie prawdy. ↩︎
2. sprawdzać
   Upewniać się o czymś przez dokładne zbadanie. ↩︎
3. zgodny
   Odpowiadający jakiejś normie lub zasadzie. ↩︎
4. działać
   Podejmować jakieś czynności mające na celu osiągnięcie czegoś. ↩︎
5. protest  (m.)
   Publiczne wyrażenie sprzeciwu wobec czegoś. ↩︎
6. upewnić
   Zyskać pewność na temat czegoś. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is investigating Rafał Trzaskowski’s campaign?

Question 2: What are they checking about the votes?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
śledztwo  (n.)	investigation
sprawdzać	check
zgodny	according
działać	act
protest  (m.)	protest
upewnić	ensure

Read the full story

Recent developments in the Polish political landscape have centred around potential irregularities concerning the funding of election campaigns related to the latest presidential race. The Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza (PKW), Poland’s State Electoral Commission, has raised concerns about the financial activities connected to the internet campaign of Rafał Trzaskowski, a prominent candidate in the presidential elections.

The PKW, under the leadership of Sylwester Marciniak, formally requested the Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego (ABW), Poland’s internal security agency, to examine the funding sources for digital promotions associated with Trzaskowski’s campaign. This request aligns with PKW’s obligations to submit a report of the elections’ outcomes, ensuring that all procedural elements comply with set regulations, including financial transparency.

This initiative comes as the Prokuratura Krajowa, Poland’s National Public Prosecutor’s Office, announced an investigation into the alleged illicit use of funds for campaign advertisements on social media platforms, specifically Facebook. The probe, handled by the Małopolska Branch of the Department for Organised Crime and Corruption, started following the ABW’s submission of materials indicating unclear financing origins behind political advertisements.

The scrutiny escalated subsequent to observations by the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), which pointed out ambiguities in regulations related to third-party campaign activities in Poland. Concerns were further amplified when it was revealed that the internet campaigns could potentially be influenced by overseas funds.

Additionally, the protest actions within the political arena have gained momentum. The electoral committee of Rafał Trzaskowski has formally challenged the recent election results by filing a protest with the Supreme Court. This legal action underscores a demand for the judicial body to rigorously evaluate the reported inconsistencies in the voting process, reflecting the narrow margin by which the opposing candidate, Karol Nawrocki, won the presidency.

With nearly 3,000 protests lodged relating to the electoral process, the Supreme Court has begun the task of assessing these submissions. They have already initiated the recount of votes from several precincts, including those in key cities such as Kraków and Gdańsk, to address the claims of electoral discrepancies.

As the PKW compiles and submits its election report for Supreme Court review, the implications of this investigation could significantly impact not only the outcome of the past elections but also the future framework of election campaign management in Poland, ensuring compliance within stringent legal and ethical standards.

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