Political ties in the Totalizer. Who's Adam Secula?

wbijamszpile.pl 9 months ago

Adam Sekuła, a tricity entrepreneur and erstwhile owner of the Sopot winery, was appointed regional manager of the athletics Totalizer in Gdańsk in August 2024. His nomination did not pass without an echo, mainly due to his close relation with Civic Platform (PO) politicians, including erstwhile Prime Minister Donald Tuski. The case was described by Onet.pl portal.

The athletics Totalizer is 1 of the most crucial companies of the State Treasury, primarily known as the owner of the Lotto brand. The company has a monopoly on the organization of lottery numbers and cash games in Poland, generating immense revenues. In 2023 its turnover amounted to over 52 billion PLN, and the net profit exceeded 353 million PLN.

As a wholly owned company of the Treasury, the athletics Totaliser is frequently seen as a tool of political influence, which makes appointments for executive positions closely observed by the public.

Political nominations in the athletics Totaliser

In fresh months, the athletics Totalizer has passed through a staff revolution, both at the highest and mediate level of management. Following the appointment of president by Rafał Krzemiem in February 2024, the company gradually began to list regional directors. According to Onet.pl, fresh directors were appointed in 13 regions, many of which have strong political ties, mainly with the current power camp.

In Gdańsk, the seat of the regional manager was Adam Sekuła – a character that cannot be described as completely apolitical. His intimacy with Civic Platform politicians and frequent joint football matches with Donald Tuski are well known.

Relations with Donald Tuski

Adam Secula is not an average entrepreneur from the Tricity. In 2017, he celebrated his 50th birthday, organizing a charity match in Sopot, where prominent political figures appeared, including Donald Tusk, Tomasz Arabski, Sławomir Rybicki and Jacek Karnowski. On the field, he was accompanied by Donald Tusk, who then served as president of the European Council, and is now the leader of the Civic Platform and serving as Prime Minister.

Common photographs of Secula and Tusk can inactive be found online, suggesting that their relationships are not limited to occasional meetings.

Adam Sekuła besides appears at the fresh Year's games "Swietlik". He has frequently been the goalkeeper alongside erstwhile president of Sopot, Jack Karnowski.

Lack of transparency in the nomination process

It is unclear whether Adam Secula's nomination was the consequence of an open competition or interior recruitment. Totalizator Sportowy avoided answering questions about the procedure, citing interior regulations. specified deficiency of transparency is controversial, especially in the case of State Treasury companies, which should act transparently and openly.

The nomination of the Secula is part of a broader problem with the filling of positions in state companies by individuals with clear political ties. This is not a fresh problem – changes in the leading positions of the athletics Totalizer have been associated with the rotation of political power in Poland for many years.

Magdalena Sekuła – another part of the puzzle

It is worth noting that Adam Sekuła's wife, Magdalena Sekuła, is the president of Ergo Arena, 1 of the largest sports halls in Poland, owned by the local governments of Gdańsk and Sopot.

In the past Sekuła was besides to be liable for media handling Ergo Arena cases, which further raises questions about possible conflicts of interest in the current nomination. Adam Secula, however, refused to comment on the matter, leaving the issue open as to how specified links could affect the independency of his actions.

The fact that Magdalena Sekuła is the sister of the deceased priest Jan Kaczkowski should be revealed as a curiosity.

Political filling of posts in Poland – a systemic problem?

The nomination of the Secula is 1 of the many examples that show the problem of filling positions in the State Treasury companies by persons associated with politics. specified practices are not reserved for 1 political camp – they were visible both during the regulation of Law and Justice and during erstwhile ruling teams.

Party activists frequently include lucrative positions in state companies, which raises doubts as to whether they are cast due to competence or alternatively due to political connections.

Experts point out that this problem is due to the deficiency of clear criteria and procedures for recruitment to positions in State Treasury companies. The deficiency of transparency in this process leads to suspicions of nepotism and clientelism, which undermines public assurance in state institutions.

Read more: Paris 2024. PKOl expenditure under the spotlight of Sławomir Nitras

Is Adam Secula’s case just 1 of many examples of political connections inactive playing a key function in appointments in state companies? How long will specified practices be tolerated in Polish politics?

The request for changes in the filling of positions in State Treasury companies

Recent events, including Adam Secula's nomination, show that the Polish strategy of management of companies of the Treasury requires reforms. The introduction of transparent and open competitions for managerial positions, which will be based on nonsubjective criteria, could aid to address this problem.

Only in this way will it be possible to guarantee that people who truly have competence and experience, alternatively than just appropriate political connections, are placed in the leading positions.

developed by Maciej Nadrąt