Gilowska sacked

Finance Minister Zyta Gilowska was dismissed by Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz last Friday following accusations that she didn't reveal her cooperation with the communist secret services. Gilowska put her fate in the Prime Minister's hands. "I have no reason not to believe her," Marcinkiewicz said adding that the rules accepted in these situations call for her dismissal. "I hope the matter will be solved soon and I'm counting on further cooperation with Mrs. Gilowska," the Prime Minister added.

The accusations about Gilowska's past came up last week when the Public Interest Commissioner (RIP) Włodzimierz Olszewski submitted a "strictly confidential" motion to the Vetting Court to start a case against Gilowska. He accused her of lying in her declaration in which she stated that she didn't cooperate with the communist secret services. Gilowska's declaration was examined by the previous RIP, Bogusław Niciński, and nothing was found against her. Olszewski claims new evidence was found in the case.

Gilowska complained that she wasn't given access to these documents. "I have fewer rights than a pedophile or a murderer. They must be shown such documents," the former Finance Minister said angrily. She called the whole affair "vetting blackmail."

Gilowska was replaced by the Prime Minister's advisor, Paweł Wojciechowski. Marcinkiewicz underlined that the new Minister will follow the policies of his predecessor, as he has worked with the Prime Minister on tax reforms and budget proposals in the past six months.