High spiritus
The pair-Eugeniusz Glogowski (formerly of SLD) and Grzegorz Strzelczyk (PiS)-were so emotionally overcome at the close of the trip that the return flight to Poland was delayed for thirty minutes when one of them collapsed in the departure lounge.
As colleagues tried to revive a virtually unconscious Strzelczyk, others were attempting to calm his drinking partner, Glogowski, who was ranting and hurling insults at passers-by.
"The gentlemen were caned practically all the time. It was particularly painful during the official meetings," the delegation's leader Bogdan Oleszek, wrote in an official letter of apology.
Fellow councilor Jaroslaw Gorecki said: "They were insulting everyone, especially the flight attendants and all the women they met on their way in general.
"They told the vice consul that the only thing one can do to her is 'to grind her'."
The visit to St Petersburg had started tamely but soon escalated out of control. Fearing for his city's reputation Oleszek continually rebuked the two.
"I asked them many times to behave themselves, but they did not care. In response, I was heavily insulted. During those four days Glogowski and Strzelczyk were not actually sober once," Oleszek continued.
It had been hoped that their behavior would be overlooked. However, rumors about their disgrace leaked, forcing the council to release a statement on the matter.
The statement says: "The climax of the scandalous behavior was shortly before departure at St. Petersburg airport. Mr Strzelczyk was in such a state that after he had fallen he was not able to get up himself and enter the plane.
"The crew refused to let him on board. In the meantime Glogowski was insulting the personnel. Consequently, there was a half an hour delay of the departure."
The chairman of the Gdansk city council has sent an apology to the Legislative Assembly in St Petersburg, the General Consul of Poland and to the management of the Russian airlines. He also demanded that the two councilors be disqualified from office.
Strzelczyk immediately stepped down from both the council and PiS, issuing a statement, saying he "resigns because he had failed his voters and jeopardized the good reputation of Gdansk."
However, Glogowski is less remorseful and does not intend to give up his seat.
"I drank too much but I did not commit a crime," he told a reporter from Gazeta Wyborcza.
"I was perhaps spiteful during this trip, but well, what can I say. I am what I am and it has been turned into an international scandal."
As colleagues tried to revive a virtually unconscious Strzelczyk, others were attempting to calm his drinking partner, Glogowski, who was ranting and hurling insults at passers-by.
"The gentlemen were caned practically all the time. It was particularly painful during the official meetings," the delegation's leader Bogdan Oleszek, wrote in an official letter of apology.
Fellow councilor Jaroslaw Gorecki said: "They were insulting everyone, especially the flight attendants and all the women they met on their way in general.
"They told the vice consul that the only thing one can do to her is 'to grind her'."
The visit to St Petersburg had started tamely but soon escalated out of control. Fearing for his city's reputation Oleszek continually rebuked the two.
"I asked them many times to behave themselves, but they did not care. In response, I was heavily insulted. During those four days Glogowski and Strzelczyk were not actually sober once," Oleszek continued.
It had been hoped that their behavior would be overlooked. However, rumors about their disgrace leaked, forcing the council to release a statement on the matter.
The statement says: "The climax of the scandalous behavior was shortly before departure at St. Petersburg airport. Mr Strzelczyk was in such a state that after he had fallen he was not able to get up himself and enter the plane.
"The crew refused to let him on board. In the meantime Glogowski was insulting the personnel. Consequently, there was a half an hour delay of the departure."
The chairman of the Gdansk city council has sent an apology to the Legislative Assembly in St Petersburg, the General Consul of Poland and to the management of the Russian airlines. He also demanded that the two councilors be disqualified from office.
Strzelczyk immediately stepped down from both the council and PiS, issuing a statement, saying he "resigns because he had failed his voters and jeopardized the good reputation of Gdansk."
However, Glogowski is less remorseful and does not intend to give up his seat.
"I drank too much but I did not commit a crime," he told a reporter from Gazeta Wyborcza.
"I was perhaps spiteful during this trip, but well, what can I say. I am what I am and it has been turned into an international scandal."
