Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development faces charges
The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw brought charges of exceeding the power and failing to fulfill the duties against the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski.
In the course of the procedural activities conducted so far, on the basis of the evidence and classified materials collected by CBA officers, on 18 March 2025, after the prior consent of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland to bring criminal charges, a decision was issued and announced to present charges against the current MP and former minister Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski.
In 2019, the CBA initiated an investigation into the activities of the National Support Centre for Agriculture, irregularities related to granting a guarantee to the Eskimos S.A. company in 2018 for the implementation of a project consisting in the purchase of 500 thousand tons of industrial apples at a specified price, and causing the KOWR to incur inappropriate and wasteful public expenditure in the amount of PLN 30 million in connection with the granting of a credit guarantee to the Bielmlek Dairy Cooperative.
The multi-threaded and complex nature of the case required the establishment of an investigative team consisting of Prosecutors from the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw and officers from the CBA Branch Office in Warsaw.
The investigation findings indicate that, contrary to the principles of proper management of state property, on the Minister's order, the National Support Centre for Agriculture granted a bank guarantee to the Eskimos S.A. company in the total amount of PLN 100 million and the National Support Centre for Agriculture granted a credit guarantee in the amount of PLN 20 million, which constituted security for a loan granted by Bank Ochrony Środowiska SA.
The Minister, knowing the poor financial condition of the Bielmlek Dairy Cooperative, facilitated the conclusion of an agreement for the National Support Centre for Agriculture to grant a credit guarantee in the amount of up to PLN 30 million. The financial situation of the Cooperative did not allow it to comply with the terms of the bank agreement. As a result of inappropriate and wasteful public expenditure in the amount of at least PLN 30 million, actions were taken to the detriment of the public interest.
Charges have been brought against over 60 people so far, including members of the Eskimos SA board and the management and employees of the Bielmlek Dairy Cooperative.
CBA Press Team
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CBA
