Concerns have emerged regarding contracts awarded by Poland’s Ministry of Justice, valued at up to PLN 324,000, to Professor Tadeusz Tomaszewski. Tomaszewski chairs a working group tasked with preparing legislation on court-appointed expert witnesses. This group, operational since April 2024, is governed by regulations that explicitly state its members are not eligible for compensation for their participation in the group’s activities.
Despite these regulations, official information from the Ministry of Justice indicates that Tomaszewski has been receiving a civil-law contract worth PLN 8,000 monthly, amounting to a total of PLN 192,000. Additionally, a subsequent contract effective from May 2026 promises PLN 11,000 per month. Should this second contract continue for its full duration, the total payments could sum up to approximately PLN 324,000. The Ministry has yet to disclose the specific responsibilities covered under these contracts.
A legal association has brought these issues to light, seeking transparency and access to the contract details. Their objective is to ascertain whether the compensated work by Tomaszewski extends beyond his unpaid duties within the working group. The core question revolves around whether these contracts pertain to entirely separate tasks or overlap with responsibilities that are supposed to be fulfilled without any remuneration.
The association notes that if the contracts are related to independent assignments, there would be no conflict of interest. However, if the agreements involve activities such as drafting legislation, conducting analyses, providing consultations, or coordinating efforts related to court-appointed experts, it could raise concerns about potential overlap with duties meant to be carried out voluntarily.
The Ministry of Justice is expected to release the requested documentation, which should provide further clarity on the situation. Until then, the details surrounding these contracts remain under scrutiny, as stakeholders await answers that will determine the appropriateness of the arrangements in question.