WARSAW, Poland, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Poland’s prosecutors office in Warsaw Thursday said a former interior minister and police chief were detained on suspicion of power abuse.
Former Polish Interior Minister Janusz Kaczmarek and his former police chief Konrad Kornatowski along with Jaromir Netzel, head of the PZU insurance concern, were charged with obstruction in an anti-corruption investigation in the Polish Agriculture Ministry, Polish Radio reported.
Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski fired Kaczmarek Aug. 8 for his reported involvement in leaking information from the central anti-corruption bureau.
Kaczmarek denied the charges and alleged that Kaczynski’s Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro was involved in the information leak. He also accused Ziobro of taking advantage of the Polish state security for his own goals.
In mid-July, Kaczynski dismissed Andrzej Lepper, deputy prime minister and agriculture minister, for his alleged involvement in illegal land deals that added to undermining of the ruling coalition government.
The firing of Lepper and Kaczmarek led the government to the brink of collapse and early parliamentary elections are almost certain to be called this year.
