Polen

[Schneemann]

Das kommt natürlich zur Unzeit, wenn die rechten Populisten der PiS, die Polen gerne als das Bollwerk gegen Migration darstellen - wobei da gerne mit dem Finger nach Berlin und Brüssel gezeigt wird -, so kurz vor den Wahlen sich mit einem eher unangenehmen Thema herumschlagen müssen.

Poland’s ruling party under pressure over broadening visa scandal

Law and Justice acknowledges that hundreds of visas were sold illegally

A broadening visa scandal has put pressure on Poland’s right-wing government ahead of elections next month, fuelling the opposition’s claims that it has failed to curb illegal migration. 

The centre-right Civic Platform party, led by former prime minister Donald Tusk, has accused the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party of tolerating a corruption scheme that illegally sold Polish visas at consulates around the world, despite trumpeting tough anti-immigration measures. The government has acknowledged that hundreds of visas were sold illegally, but argued that the numbers were much lower than those claimed by the opposition. It also sacked deputy foreign minister Piotr Wawrzyk over the affair and Poland’s public prosecution has charged seven people for corruption, three of whom have been detained. [...]

According to most recent polls, PiS is still ahead at about 37 per cent but has lost support ahead of the October 15 election, dropping seven points compared with the last election. Civic Platform is second, with 30 per cent of voting intentions, meaning they would each have to seek the support of other parties to form a coalition government. [...]

“The government created national hysteria that Poland was threatened with a flood of Muslims, that women would be raped by Arabs, that people would be afraid to go out on the streets,” said Adam Michnik, chief editor of newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, who was one the significant players in Poland’s transition from communism to democracy.

https://www.ft.com/content/8a780e82-f29a...0a2e478522

Wobei man dazu sagen muss, dass die FT hier noch sehr vorsichtig argumentiert: Hinter vorgehaltener Hand könnten es auch nicht nur "hunderte", sondern "zehntausende" oder gar noch mehr Fälle von VISA-Verkauf sein, u. a. nach Afrika. Und der Vize-Außenminister Wawrzyk, den man geschasst hatte deswegen, soll einen Suizid-Versuch unternommen haben (?). Dazu: https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Bruessel-ste...08540.html

Schneemann