Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Nowak, who has been leading the transport ministry since the Civic Platform/PSL coalition began its second term in office in 2011, resigned after prosecutors applied on Friday to the attorney general to annul the politician’s parliamentary immunity and enable lawyers to examine his accounts.
PM Tusk said Nowak had acted „honourably” and that he „knew the rule for government members: resignation where there are allegations”.
„I hope the whole affair will be resolved quickly and he can return to the government,” Tusk added.
Prosecutors are considering charges including that Nowak – a close colleague of the prime minister’s – knowingly concealed assets in his financial statements.
The opposition called for Nowak’s resignation in January this year after the European Commission froze funds worth 3.5 billion zloty for three projects managed by Poland’s highways agency, GDDKiA, after prosecutors charged 11 people with attempting to create a cartel.
Nowak’s duties are currently being dealt with by deputy finance minister Zbigniew Rynasiewicz.
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