"Rywingate" inquiry calls for Kwiatkowski to stand down

A parliamentary inquiry yesterday called for public television chief Robert Kwiatkowski to stand down after he was named in connection with allegations of high-level bribery. The call came on day two of testimony by Gazeta Wyborzca editor Adam Michnik, over his newspaper's claim that it was the target of an attempt to solicit a $17.5 million bribe in the so-called Rywingate scandal. "It is clear that Chief Executive Kwiatkowski is a person around whom there are serious suspicions," committee member and opposition deputy Jan Maria Rokita told reporters. Kwiatkowski, who does not belong to the SLD but is close to its leadership, denies authorizing Lew Rywin to seek the bribe in return for changes to a media bill which would have barred Agora from buying national TV interests. Earlier, Michnik accused public TV of "deliberately misleading the public" in its coverage of his opening testimony on Saturday. (Reuters) A.K.