Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michał Kołodziejczak was at the centre of attention after journalists caught him breaking road rules. The case sparked broad media and public interest, and the head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs, Tomasz Siemoniak, besides spoke on this issue.
Dangerous Driving Through Warsaw
According to reports from the paper “Fakt”, Michał Kołodziejczak, while moving around the Lexus ES 300h worth about a 4th of a million PLN, committed many traffic offences. "With his telephone in his hand, he ran down the streets of Warsaw, not caring about regulations. He ignored the red light and parked in an illegal place," the paper will report. For these offences, Kołodziejczak is facing PLN 1,100 of the mandate and 27 punishment points, which would mean the failure of his driving licence. ‘So he should lose his driving licence. In the case of a driver with long experience, this is taken at a failure of 24 points", notes the log.
Office of the Ministry of abroad Affairs: ‘There is no protective umbrella’
Minister of Home Affairs and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak stressed in an interview with Polsat News that all citizens are equal before the law. “All citizens are equal in law and for police officers,” said the head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs. He besides recalled that Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the officers who stopped him for speeding a week ago during the Police Day. “Everyone is equal to whether individual is simply a journalist, minister or deputy minister Kołodziejczak,” argued Siemoniak.
Siemoniak stressed that there would be no discount tariff for Kołodziejczak. For my part as a minister, there is no protective umbrella. I am a fanatic of compliance with traffic rules, due to the fact that the number of victims of accidents on Polish roads is alarming – argued the head of the Ministry of Interior.
Kołodziejczak: “I can’t remember where I was in a hurry”
In conversation with “Fakt” Michał Kołodziejczak stated that he did not remember where he was in a hurry. However, journalists drew attention to his Nike shoes, which according to the tabloids could cost up to PLN 17,000. Kołodziejczak admitted that he bought them “on occasion”. These are peculiar shoes. They're not that easy to get today. I always paid attention to shoes. erstwhile you work a lot, you want to have any joy in what you do. But it's not my key joy, but the shoes are actually okay," the Deputy Minister said.
Consequences and further steps
The case of Kołodziejczak will most likely be further monitored by the media and public opinion. Everyone is waiting for police decisions and the possible legal consequences that the Deputy Minister may face for his traffic offences. It is besides worth noting that the attitude of the head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs Tomasz Siemoniak indicates a deficiency of tolerance for specified behaviours, which may affect the further improvement of events.
Summary
The case of Michał Kołodziejczak is another example of the fact that public individuals, especially those with advanced functions, must be aware of their actions and their consequences. Equality to the law is simply a fundamental rule to be respected, regardless of its function or social status. The behaviour of the Deputy Minister not only undermines its credibility, but besides puts its work as a public individual at issue.
Daniel Głogowski
Expert in his field – Publicist, author and social activist. The first articles were published in 1999 for global publishers. For more than 30 years, he has gained his experience through cooperation with the largest editorial offices. In his articles, he seeks to address controversial topics and present first viewpoints that allowed for a deeper knowing of the issues discussed.
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