"Colossal amount of money to zero effect". "Superwizjer" inquiry into government mask production project

"Superwizjer" TVN reporters have looked into a government programme Polskie Szwalnie, launched by the Ministry of Development under the auspices of President Andrzej Duda. A state-owned Industrial Development Agency (ARP) was appointed to carry out the project aimed at ensuring production of Polish protective face masks.

The programme itself, worth over 250 million zlotys, was based on three pillars: own production line in Stalowa Wola, cooperation with Polish sewing businesses, as well as outsourcing contracts for machine production of masks. Meanwhile, as part of the programme, millions of unusable masks have been produced for way over market prices, while the factory in Stalowa Wola has stopped production.

Civic Coalition MP Michał Szczerba, who together with his fellow-MP Dariusz Joński had been responsible for controlling government spending during the pandemic, commented on "Superwizjer" reporters' findings. "We're looking into the whole process of ensuring protective means for Poles during the pandemic. The question of Polskie Szwalnie was also a focal point for Civic Coalition MPs," he said.

"This case is outrageous because we're dealing with a case similar to that of the ventilators' purchase. Two entities appear handed on a plate by PiS politicians and services. The Industrial Development Agency launches cooperation with them," Szczerba said.

He added that "neither an arms dealer is an expert on ventilators, nor is a foil producer, 6 months on the market, an expert on masks". The Civic Coalition MP was referring to TW Plast company, one of the government's two biggest mask suppliers. "Superwizjer" reporters have learned that the contract with the foil-producing company, established six months before the pandemic outbreak, was worth 45 million zlotys.

"There's a grand opening, there's presidiential patronage, and on the other hand once you look at the effects of this programme, it's one big zero. This sewing room in Stalowa Wola is defunct. A colossal amount of money has been invested, to absolute zero effect. We will look into this case as part of control of all these pathologies in the PiS state," Szczerba declared.

In his opinion, Polskie Szwalnie was "yet another propaganda programme". "We've got used to these big billboards being fed to us by this government: 770 billions for Poland. So far nothing has been achieved with these billions, while the Polish Deal is just a bunch of projects which hasn't even been submitted in the Sejm," Szczerba argued.

"This government is focused only on propaganda, not on solving concrete problems. Polskie Szwalnie were meant to be one of such propaganda projects. This is a case for parliamentary control, this a case for the Supreme Audit Office," said the Civic Coalition MP.

Asked if he was planning to ask the Supreme Audit Office to investigate the programme, Szczerba replied shortly: "Yes, indeed".