Conflict of interest?

The Central Anti-corruption Bureau (CBA) has accused Krzysztof Bondaryk, chief of the Internal Security Agency (ABW), of receiving money from Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC), the operator of the Era GSM mobile network, while heading a public agency. His income was apparently unusually high for an ABW officer and the CBA has accused him of not disclosing zł.1.5 million in the income disclosure statement, which public officials are required to sign.

Before heading the ABW in late 2007, Bondaryk was a director at PTC. Due to a non-compete clause in his contract, he has been receiving his severance package in quarterly installments. But Bondaryk claimed that the CBA had tripled his severance pay, as it amounted to only zł.500,000, and that he had disclosed that sum.

"I never hid my income," Bondaryk told the press.

In speaking to RMF FM Julia Pitera, the prime minister's plenipotentiary for the struggle against corruption, said there was nothing wrong with a public servant receiving monthly payments from a private company, because the income related to a previous contract. She pointed out that the head of the President's Chancellery, Piotr Kownacki, was also receiving severance payments from Orlen.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk admitted he knew nothing about Bondaryk's extra income. In an interview with Polish Radio, the PM said: "If any of my cabinet officials put private interests over public interests, he would not work with me a day longer."