President seeks to pardon white-collar criminal, prosecutor against move

President seeks to pardon white-collar criminal, prosecutor against move President Aleksander Kwasniewski began the process to pardon Miroslaw Stajszczak, a businessman from Bydgoszcz, who was the main figure in an alcohol scandal at the beginning of nineties. Stajszczak was officially sentenced with attempting to bribe a State Security Office (UOP) employee. Although the official reason for the sentence is not yet known and Stajszczak is not yet in prison, the presidential chancellery filed a motion with the court in Bydgoszcz asking for an opinion on the prosecuted. However, the pardon can be made in the presidential "way" meaning even if the court opinion is negative, Stajszczak can still be pardoned. According to Solidarity Election Action (AWS), Kwasniewski is trying to free Stajszczak because of his financial support for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD). Justice Minister Lech Kaczynski is against the presidential pardon. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 1)