As parliamentarians, my wife and I take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment in Warsaw. Settlements are between the Sejm office and the owners, said Arkadiusz Myrcha, KO MP and deputy minister of justice, in an interview with a TVN24 journalist. The case of Myrcha and Kinga Gajewska‘s apartment was commented on by the Speaker of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia.
Arkadiusz Myrcha and Kinga Gajewska, MPs and spouses from the Civic Coalition, receive their housing allowance for renting a flat in the capital. Even though they live together, each of them receives a lump sum of nearly PLN 4,000.
READ MORE: Two additions, one apartment for a parliamentary couple
A copy of Myrcha’s letter to the parliamentary ethics committee regarding the declaration of assets for 2022 appeared on social media. “Due to my parliamentary duties, I spend a large part of my working days in Warsaw. In order to ensure a place for my children in public educational institutions, I had to become a taxpayer in Warsaw. Therefore, the place of residence in Warsaw is for purely tax purposes,” says the leaked letter. Neither Myrcha nor the ethics committee confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Hołownia: there’s something I’m having trouble with
Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia was asked about this matter by journalists on Wednesday. As he said, “it is not a matter of housing allowances themselves, because MPs are simply entitled to them.” – Moreover, I have great respect for families, especially those with three children, in which both the mother and father are actively involved in serving the state and reconcile it with many parental responsibilities. Full respect, said the Speaker of the Sejm.
– There is one thing in this matter that raises serious doubts for me – emphasized Hołownia and added that it concerns Myrcha’s statement that the place of residence in Warsaw is solely for tax purposes. – This is something I have trouble with. Either you live and are registered and the matter is clear, or you live somewhere else, but you write that you are registered (…) you are somewhere else because there is some tax benefit or a kindergarten for children or something else – said Hołownia.
According to the Speaker of the Sejm, “the relevant committees should present their opinion on this matter.” – I will be in dialogue with the ethics committee, the rules committee, and the parliamentary affairs committee so that, firstly, we obtain a clear position of MP Myrcha on what he thinks about this situation, and secondly, to secure the system so that such things do not happen again They appeared and did not go away – assured Hołownia.
– This is not how it should be, we shouldn’t write such things and do such things. I have no doubts here – emphasized the Speaker of the Chamber.
Myrcha: we rent an apartment, the Sejm office handles the settlements
Myrcha, in a conversation with a TVN24 journalist, said on Wednesday that the house he and his wife are building in Błonie “is being finished”, but “there is still some finishing work left”. – It is not prepared enough for children to live there safely every day – he emphasized.
– We do not have a place of residence in Warsaw, the only place we have in common at the moment is in Toruń. As parliamentarians, we take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment in Warsaw. The settlements are between the Sejm office and the owners (of the rented apartment – ed.) – he added.
Myrcha: we rent an apartment, the settlements are handled by the SejmuTVN24 office
Source of main photo: TVN24
Political Comedy Unveiled: The Curious Case of the Warsaw MPs
So, we’ve got parliamentarians taking advantage of their positions to snag a sweet little rental in the heart of Warsaw! Arkadiusz Myrcha, the deputy minister of justice and a member of the Civic Coalition, finds himself the talk of the town—or should I say, the talk of the Sejm! Don’t you love it when politics gets a bit too cozy? Ah, the good ol’ days of political scandal!
Now, here’s the kicker: Myrcha and his wife Kinga Gajewska—yes, they’re both MPs—are receiving their housing allowances while living together. Each pocketing nearly PLN 4,000 a month! I mean, are they trying to cover the rent for Buckingham Palace or just keeping up with the Kardashians? And isn’t it charming that they clarify their living arrangements for us?
In a letter that somehow found its way into the digital ether—probably sneaking out like a teenager after curfew—Myrcha claimed his residence in Warsaw is just for tax purposes! You see, he spends most of his working days there, and being a responsible parent means enrolling kids in public education, right? But hold on! Since when does living arrangement turn into a tax strategy? I wouldn’t be surprised if he also declared his cat as a dependent just to squeeze some extra bucks out of his tax return!
Hołownia: A Most Peculiar Dilemma
Then we have Szymon Hołownia, the Mojo of the Sejm, stepping in to stir the pot. He respects families, of course, but has a bone to pick with Myrcha’s claims. His eyebrows might have even raised higher than his political ambitions as he commented that either Myrcha is living in Warsaw… or he’s just playing a very elaborate game of Monopoly where the “Get Out of Jail Free” card is an apartment lease.
Hołownia’s skepticism is palpable. “It raises serious doubts,” he says, almost sounding like a baffled detective in a crime drama trying to connect the dots. After all, how does one justify calling a place “home” when you’re raking in allowances for living elsewhere?
Myrcha’s Defense: Is He Simply Renting or Is This a Political Renter’s Dream?
In defense, Myrcha tells us that their unfinished house in Błonie—complete with construction dust and maybe a few dance parties—isn’t quite ready for the kiddos yet. Really? Is this a line from a political drama or the plot of a new reality show? “Sorry, kids, you can’t stay in Warsaw, Daddy needs a tax break!”
But really, how much longer can he pull this off? I mean, renting in Warsaw sounds quite glamorous, yet with every passing moment in parliament, you begin to wonder if he might just convert a committee room into a cozy family den! It’s either that or get a clown car—after all, between the ethical committees and the “securing the system” talks, who knows how big this circus might get?
Source of main photo: TVN24
My two cents: While parliamentarians are entitled to housing allowances (because, let’s face it, who doesn’t want a roof over their heads?), one can’t help but notice the facade of tax purposes should probably be knocked down with a hammer of common sense. If you’re going to dabble in the murky waters of politics, you might as well learn to swim before diving into a house of cards!
