PM Donald Tusk claims secretly recorded tapes allegedly showing collusion between a minister and the chief of the National Bank are an attempt to “bring down the government by illegal means”.
Following the publication of secretly recorded conversations between interior minister Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz and governor of the National Bank Marek Belka - which appear to show that the government was asking for help from the Monetary Policy Council to stimulate the economy before next year's general elections - PM Tusk said the recording of the talks was “illegal” and amounted to a coup attempt.
“This is an organized attempt to overthrow the government by illegal means,” Prime Minister Tusk told a press conference on Monday afternoon, adding that he would not be asking for the resignation of Minister Sienkiewicz.
"The initial analysis of these statements does not indicate any transgressions of the law,” Tusk said, referring to allegations that a government minister was trying to involve an independent central bank governor in political issues.
The interior minister has asked the attorney general Andrzej Seremet to look into how the expletive-laden conversations, published by the Wprost weekly magazine were recorded and whether the law had been broken under Article 267 of the penal code.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's largest opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) said he would call for a vote of no confidence in the government in parliament.
“The government is cheating the public,” Kaczynski said on Monday.
“There have been shocking and extraordinary events which show that there has been a violation of the law. Donald Tusk's government is unable to provide [state] security or to realize Polish interest,” the Law and Justice leader added.
Under Poland's constitution, the central bank must be politically independent of governments. (pg)
Ewa Malcher
