Telecommunications Ministry dissolved in the wake of corruption revelations

The government has decided to dissolve the Telecommunications Ministry and transfer its responsibilities to the Economy Ministry. Addressing a press conference yesterday, government spokesman Krzysztof Luft said the decision was the consequence of systemic corruption in the ministry related to dubious methods of granting telecoms licenses. The irregularities, revealed by the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK) earlier this month, led to the dismissal of Telecommunications Minister Tomasz Szyszko. In another development yesterday, a group of 29 deputies from Solidarity Election Action (AWS), the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and the Freedom Union (UW) submitted a draft bill on splitting telecoms giant TPSA into several companies. (Prawo i Gospodarka, pp. 1, 11; Reuters) M.T.