Poland charges ex-officials with embezzlement

Polish prosecutors have charged 10 people, including 4 ex-officials of the ruling Law and Justice party with embezzlement, according to local media.
They have been indicted with embezzling over 3 million zlotys ($780,000) in money and goods from a regional chapter of the Polish Red Cross. They are alleged to have sold clothes from public charity collections in 2014-17 and pocketed the proceeds.
Among those charged is the former director of the Wroclaw Red Cross, identified as Jerzy G., who is also a former aide to the education minister. Piotr B, his deputy, and a former lawmaker, is also among the charged.
They have since been ousted from the ruling party, just like two other former party members named in the indictment. The remaining six indicted are local business people and Red Cross employees.
Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice has been facing criticism ever since it came to power in 2015. The party has been known for its EU skepticism. It has angered the bloc by approving the controversial law to tighten controls over judges, despite warnings that the law is an infringement of EU treaties.
The party said the changes were designed to fight corruption in the judicial system, but it was accused of politicising the judiciary. The move sparked nationwide protests.