"Gazeta Wyborcza" published on Thursday the second of the so-called Kaczyński tapes. The daily presented the recording taken on the 2nd of August 2018, when the Law and Justice's chairman met with Austrian businessman Gerald Birgfellner and lawyers from Baker McKenzie law firm who were working on an investment in construction of two skyscrapers by Srebrna company. Kaczyński was recorded saying that he "cannot afford" to be portrayed as a "wealthy man" in the election campaign, hence the cancellation of the investment.
The recording published by "Gazeta Wyborcza" on Thursday was registered on the 2nd of August 2018, that is 6 days after the conversation recorded on the first tape published on Tuesday.
The first conversation, published on Tuesday, pertained to plans of building a skyscraper in Warsaw, by Srebrna company connected to Law and Justice. The construction was to be financed by a loan from Pekao SA bank, amounting up 300 million euro (about 1,3 billion zlotys). The investement was cancelled, among other things, due to unfavourable opinion by the city hall.
At the time, Kaczyński tried to explain Birgfellner why Srebrna company was unable to pay him for 14 months of his work on preparation of the investment. Kaczyński and his cousin Grzegorz J. Tomaszewski were trying to talk the Austrian into taking his complaint to the court. The possible ruling or settlement would constitute grounds for payment, according to "Gazeta Wyborcza".
"Purely political campaign"
On the 2nd of August 2018, in the Law and Justice headquarters on Nowogrodzka street, Kaczyński met with Birgfellner, his wife who was there as a translator and four lawyers from Baker McKenzie law firm. On the recording published on Thursday, PiS chairman says more about the reasons behind the investment's cancellation.
"Picture a purely political campaign called: the party builds a skyscraper, Asian ties or even blatant call that it's me who builds it - therefore (unclear) I'm portrayed as an extraordinarily wealthy man. We cannot afford that to happen," PiS chairman stressed on the recording.
He claimed that the construction was "impossible at the moment".
"Therefore, we need to cancel this undertaking. However, as I said, we're cancelling something that couldn't be done anyway at the moment, because surely... Unless, there would be a shift of power. But let me tell you now that Mr Jaki is not a miracle worker, for us to say what good could he (unclear), when he would become the mayor of Warsaw (unclear), what he would (unclear) in certain areas. He's a very independent politician," he added, referring to Patryk Jaki who was Law and Justice's candidate for mayor of Warsaw at the time.
"Kierwiński said: you won't build this thing here"
In the recording published by "Gazeta Wyborcza", Kaczyński claims again that the construction was blocked by the Civic Platform politicians.
"We had this plan that was, at first, blocked on the level of granting the "wz" (warunki zabudowy - planning permission), it was made clear to us via various channels, including prominent Civic Platform politicians that we wouldn't get that permission under any cirmcumstances. Meaning, that some of those politicians were Warsaw councilors in the past. Mr Kierwiński, for example (Marcin Kierwiński, Civic Platform MP), said 'you won't build this thing here'" - said Kaczyński.
According to "GW", in the recording from the 2nd of August 2018, PiS chairman who happened to also be the head of the Lech Kaczyński Foundation, that in turn was the chief stakeholder in the Srebrna company, seems to be trying to step out of the role he was playing by far, in the construction project at Srebrna street. Despite running the negotiations, he tried to convince that his hands were tied.
"Let me remind you that I'm not the board, but rather only represent the foundation as the head of its board," he said.
At the same time, he underscores that he didn't want to handle the payment for planning "in a dishonest way".
Earlier on, in the first tape released by "GW", Kaczyński claimed that he wanted to pay the Austrian, but there had to be some "grounds in the paperwork". PiS chairman pointed out at the time that "there will either be those additional bills, because we simply need them, or there is another way" - meaning taking the case to the court.
"Without me here, you certainly won't achieve anything with the board"
In the end of the conversation from the 2nd of August, published on Thursday, Kaczyński talks with lawyers about signing a deal on "reimbursing the costs of the project" incurred by the law firm.
"So, when would you be able to do this, given the difficult times, because next week, I won't hide that I need to be here. I won't be available next week. I'm leaving for some time," said PiS chairman.
He added: "I won't be in Warsaw and without me here, you certainly won't achieve anything with the board".
"There's no deal. Unfortunately, it's a sort of a failure"
According to "GW", in the same conversation Kaczyński also confirmed that he had discussed the issue of payment for investment preparation with the Austrian businessman. Verbally, they didn't sign any agreement.
"Indeed, unfortunately there's no deal. It's a sort of a failure which, I guess, didn't happen on our part, but happened nonetheless. So, now this situation arose in which we simply have no option" (to pay), said Jarosław Kaczyński.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: tvn24