Tomasz Siemoniak ends use of social assistants amid flood fund controversy

Polish Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has announced his decision to stop using social assistants following controversy regarding the distribution of flood relief funds. The issue arose after reports surfaced that Jolanta Trytko-Warczak, a social assistant to the minister, received over 170,000 PLN from flood relief funds to renovate her beauty salon, Veneto. Local reports indicate the salon had only been operational for two days and sustained minimal damage.

Siemoniak stated that social assistants are not his employees and that he was not personally involved in the matter. He noted that the District Labor Office in Nysa has investigated the case and deemed it compliant with regulations. The minister cited the ambiguity surrounding the term ‘social assistant’ and the resulting attacks on other individuals as reasons for his decision to discontinue the service.