Entrepreneurs' ally

The head of the Central Anti-corruption Bureau (CBA), Mariusz Kamiński, reassured foreign investors of his bureau's honorable intentions during a recent conference organized by the American Chamber of Commerce. Kamiński looked to soothe worries that the corruption watchdog would go on a witch hunt for the ruling Law and Justice's (PiS) opponents.

"We are a natural ally of all serious and honest entrepreneurs," Kamiński said. He reiterated that the CBA's goals are "healing the state's institutions and eliminating criminals from it," and pointed to its "unconditional respect of the free-market economy." He stressed that the second point is particularly important for business.

"It's the idea, not the connections to state clerks, which should decide what a company's position on the market is," Kamiński underlined. He claims that fighting corruption will improve the investment climate in Poland, whose reputation was dealt a severe blow by a Transparency International report last year, ranking the country at the very bottom of the EU in terms of corruption.

Kamiński reassured investors that the CBA will not be PiS' political police: "We will fight criminals wherever they may be. There will be no taboos for us, no one will be immune to investigation."

With regard to the CBA's right to inspect companies, Kamiński said that inspections can only be made regarding property declarations by politicians and companies whose scope of activities are similar to that of firms owned by the Treasury. He added that the newest government proposal limits the inspections to four weeks.

Kamiński said that the CBA, which was officially established in July, is currently "building its foundations." By the end of this year it should have its headquarters in Warsaw, where over 500 people will be employed. Ten regional offices will be set up next year.