Senate decides that MPs' property declarations must be made public

After heated discussion, the Senate yesterday concluded that MPs and Senators' property declarations must be made public. Only deputies' and their estates' addresses will remain confidential. Before the voting, AWS Social Movement (RS-AWS) deputy Krzysztof Piesiewicz stated that the general public has a right to know whether and by how much deputies' and senators' assets have increased during their term of office. Sixty-seven senators voted in favor of the property declarations being made public, 4 were against and 6 abstained. The Sejm had previously amended the Act on Deputies' and Senators' Public Duties by introducing a regulation stating that property declarations, currently confidential, would have to be sent to the tax offices. If the Sejm approves the Senate's amendment and the president signs it, then the obligation to make property declarations available to the public will apply to deputies and senators elected in September's election. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p.6) K.K.