Press out for Borowski's blood

In mid-August daily papers Rzeczpospolita and Życie Warszawy claimed that Borowski was engaged in corrupt transactions, and alleged that he accepted money for issuing illegal construction permits to favored entities. Borowski has vehemently denied the accusations and is taking legal action.

In March this year, Ghelamco, a Belgium developer that is one of the key players on the Polish real-estate market, bought a historical tenement at ul. Foksal 15 for zł.12 million from Borowski.

The problem is that last year the architect apparently estimated the building at zł.6 million. The dailies alleged that the difference could be a thinly veiled bribe for Borowski, in return for which he allegedly issued controversial construction permits, such as one concerning the square where ul. Mokotowska, ul. Piękna and ul. Krucza meet. Ghelamco received permission from Borowski to develop an office building, Zaułek Piękna, on this site.

"According to our information, the tenement [on ul. Foksal] was sold at the market price," said the President of Warsaw, Lech Kaczyński. Bożena Krawczyk from Ghelamco explained that the price was boosted because there was another investor interested in the building. "I was negotiating with a Spanish company, but Ghelamco offered better provisions. There was nothing wrong about it. The Spanish bought a different tenement," Borowski told Puls Biznesu. He also assured that he did not sign any permissions for Ghelamco.

This is not the first time the Chief Architect's conduct has been questioned. Earlier allegations claimed Borowski was giving preferential treatment to his previous architectural studio, Dom Architektury. Dom Architektury was appointed the designer of a shopping center in Miasteczko Wilanów, after Borowski issued a decision on the construction conditions for this site. It was also thanks to Borowski's recommendation that Budowa i Zarzšd Stadionu Piłkarskiego (Football Stadium Construction and Management) chose Dom Architektury to work out the concept for the National Stadium.

"Out of 40,000 decisions taken within the two years of my being Chief Architect, Dom Architektury was the author of two projects, applying for the construction permits and maybe for two projects applying for construction conditions. It is ridiculous to write that I favor the company," Borowski says. The owner of Dom Architektury, Jan Grochowski, is allegedly a close friend of Borowski. Grochowski's wife Ewa works for the Chief Architect at his office in City Hall.

City Hall's Internal Control Office is now examining Borowski's decisions as Chief Architect of Warsaw. The President of Warsaw said that his further steps concerning Borowski's future in City Hall depends on the results of the investigation. Asked how the whole affair came to light, Kaczyński said that the Chief Architect has huge competences and very much depends on him and this could result in tensions. "If the [Internal Control Office] confirms the wrongdoings I will not hesitate to thank Mr Borowski for his  cooperation," Kaczyński said. In plain language, if the allegations are true, Borowski's days as Chief Architect are numbered.

"The investigation so far has not confirmed the press allegations concerning construction decisions made by Borowski," said the head of the Internal Control Office, Marek Trosiński. However, he stressed that the Control Office does not monitor Borowski's private transactions.

Michał Borowski himself has issued an official statement saying that the information in the press was based on explicit lies and manipulated news. He is taking legal action to get an apology and financial redress from both newspapers. He says he will donate any money from the cases to charity.