Alleged politicised appointments rock Poland’s state lottery

Garance Limouzy October 16, 2024

The supervisory board of Totalizator Sportowy, Poland’s state lottery, has dismissed its president, Rafał Krzemień, effective 10 October. The decision, as announced in an official statement from the company, comes amid mounting scrutiny regarding the appointment practices within the organisation. The board has appointed Mariusz Błaszkiewicz, a current member responsible for finance and investments, as the interim president while a recruitment process for a new president is initiated.

Allegations of politically motivated appointments

Reports have surfaced that the recent appointments within the lottery’s regional management have favoured individuals aligned with the ruling political coalition. A Polish newspaper investigation revealed that 13 out of 17 regional director positions were filled by local political activists from parties such as PO, PSL, and Lewica following the recent elections. This has raised concerns about the integrity of the hiring processes, with critics suggesting that these choices signify a politicisation of the state lottery. Borys Budka, a Member of the European Parliament and former minister, commented on the situation, stating, “I learned about the changes in regional management from the media. I was unaware of when these directors were replaced or whether there were any competitions held for these roles.” Budka further emphasised that the management is accountable for the staffing policies, not the ministry, and expressed that the ministry had actively worked to ensure political neutrality within state companies.

A clean sweep of regional management

The latest developments have resulted in a complete overhaul of the Polish lottery’s regional directors. Totalizator Sportowy clarified that no one has been officially terminated; instead, the changes were made amicably to maintain operational continuity. The announcement for the recruitment of new regional directors outlines strict criteria, which include a minimum of five years of relevant experience. The application deadline is already fast approaching, indicating a rapid recruitment timeline.

Ongoing investigations into corruption

As these leadership changes unfold, Totalizator Sportowy remains under investigation for suspected corruption. Acknowledging these issues, the remarked, “While the supervisory board found no legal or internal regulations broken regarding the appointments, I concur that the highest standards were not upheld due to the lack of transparent recruitment processes for the positions of regional directors.”