The Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) is currently conducting analytical and informational investigations concerning the National Bank of Poland (NBP) since March 2023, following revelations made by Business Insider Polska. The agency has confirmed its involvement but has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of its investigations, stating they are based on information from open sources.
Sources reveal agents are reviewing various documents and analyzing both factual and legal states within the central bank. An official statement from the CBA declared, "CBA has been conducting activities at NBP for nearly a year. The Bureau does not provide details." These investigative moves are positioned as separate from actual control or investigative actions but hold the potential to reveal significant information.
The CBA's activities aim at gathering relevant information to combat corruption within government institutions and safeguard national economic interests. This inquiry is not new territory for the CBA; between 2008 and 2021, similar analytical actions were initiated on eight occasions concerning NBP, leading to prosecution only once. The agency's press team stated, "These activities are aimed at obtaining and processing information relevant to combating corruption."
Currently, NBP is under considerable scrutiny from the ruling government, creating tensions within the political sphere. Ashamedly, the government has accused the bank's leadership of failing to address inflation and has suggested there has been political manipulation within the NBP, claiming it supports the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS). Adam Glapiński, the president of NBP, has been directly criticized and is the subject of scrutiny by parliamentary members who filed preliminary requests to hold him accountable before the Constitutional Tribunal for various allegations, including allegedly obstructing key information relevant to the bank's functions and actions.
On September 12, Glapiński publicly rebutted the claims against him, framing them as politically motivated. "Działania Narodowego Banku Polskiego pod moim kierownictwem uratowały gospodarkę przed kryzysem w okresie pandemii COVID-19 i zlikwidowały inflację wynikającą z działań Rosji. Dziś za te działania większość parlamentarna grozi mi Trybunałem Stanu" (The actions of the National Bank of Poland under my leadership saved the economy from the crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic and eliminated inflation resulting from Russia's actions. Today, the parliamentary majority threatens me with the Tribunal of State), Glapiński stated.
The NBP has emphasized its independence during these proceedings, citing constitutional guarantees and EU treaties as protective measures against what it calls attacks from the current ruling coalition. The Deputy President of the Bank, Marta Kightley, stated the commission's work related to the Tribunal of State is closed, reiterate their position on the legislative’s overreach.
The CBA maintains its role is preventative; its operations are seen as standard protocols within their framework. Nevertheless, they highlight the urgency of their investigatory efforts, referencing their investigative outcomes. CBA’s last operational report indicates losses to the State Treasury exceeding 189 million PLN through their audits and analyses. Such figures compound the significance of the present investigative actions at the NBP.
For Glapiński and the NBP, the coming months may prove pivotal as the future of their operations and accountability processes appear increasingly intertwined with the outcomes of the CBA's actions. While the investigation's results may be uncertain, the backdrop of political tension and historical scrutiny suggests consequential developments for both the Central Bank and Polish politics following this latest CBA probe.