Systemic irregularities
The ultimate Audit Chamber completed its audit of the Justice Fund, indicating extended irregularities. During the press conference on 27 May, Vice-President of NIK, Michał Jędrzejczyk, presented the most crucial findings.
The auditors found, among others, cases of serious inefficiencies and even fraud of funds, the conclusion of fictional contracts, the spending of money in violation of law and the acquisition of goods and services at overpriced prices. In the opinion of the House, the scale and nature of the shortcomings show a long-standing strategy of public spending.
The audit findings confirmed erstwhile media reports and focused on the activities of fund beneficiaries. 22 organisations have been checked that have concluded agreements with the Ministry of Justice, indicating cases of embezzlement and crimes. The documentation collected was forwarded to the prosecution, but a full image of the situation was not presented at the time. It is announced that the Minister of Justice should be sent a follow-up address covering a number of systemic irregularities.
Report without publication
According to Virtual Poland, the 123 pages of the study were to be completed by 30 June and submitted to the Ministry of Justice, which was then headed by Adam Bodnar. After considering the reservations of the ministry by the ultimate Chamber of Control, the paper in the final version became final in late August. Despite repeated requests for its disclosure, NIK refused to publish, explaining that the comprehensive study and recommendations were inactive in preparation. A spokesperson for the House, Bartłomiej Borderland, announced the release of a survey presenting a full image of the situation and recommendations for the future.
The audit covered the period from January 2021 to June 2024, but the materials and activities revealed until May 2025 were besides analysed. Although the study does not attribute work to circumstantial individuals, it indicates the moments of irregularities and those at the time of the ministry. The follow-up speech is intended to confirm the findings of the media and the prosecutor's office, speaking of the violation of the discipline of public finances and actions which have the effect of complicity in embezzlement.
Personnel shortages in the Fund
The ultimate Audit Chamber pointed to serious staff shortages in the units overseeing the Justice Fund. The proposals were frequently assessed by inexperienced workers, including trainees and even multimillion-dollar competitions, and were decided without the participation of specialists, e.g. in the field of construction. The problems included grants to the Profeto Foundation and “Strucni in spirit”. External experts were mainly active in promotional activities and PR. This situation occurred before 2024 erstwhile Zbigniew Ziobro and Marcin Romanowski headed the resort.
The study besides indicates the scale of shortages: nearly 2,300 contracts were supervised by 17 people, and after the reorganisation only 11. The outsourcing of any tasks did not improve the control and timing of the accounts. Additional staff leave in 2025 paralyzed the Fund. Waldemar Żurek announced a reinforcement of the team, but it was besides late to settle the key aid competitions.
Improvement of competitions, non-feasibility of contracts and another charges
The ultimate Audit Office established that by 2023 the Justice Fund had concluded fictional contracts and manipulated competitions, changing the evaluation cards to win the designated entities, including the Alegoria Foundation, the Salesian Society, the RTCK Foundation and the Light-Life Foundation. According to the findings, decisions were to be made with the participation of Deputy Minister Marcin Romanowski, and the documentation was unreliable. Millions of zlotys were spent on promotion, frequently in violation of public procurement law, and in 2023 advertising spending exceeded funds for real aid. Zbigniew Ziobro did not mention to the findings.
After the change of power, NIK accused the ministry led by Adam Bodnar of deficiency of effective supervision, including payment for unissued advertising and organisational chaos in 2024, which paralyzed the Fund. The Social Council of the Fund with Jerzy Stępnie, appointed, acted ineffectively. The home formulated 19 recommendations, although the fresh Minister Waldemar Żurek had already announced the improvement and decentralisation of funds; at the end of December there was about PLN 600 million on the Fund's account.
