The “Memory and Identity” Museum scandal. Father Rydzyk summoned to the prosecutor's office

Father Tadeusz Rydzyk announced on Monday on Radio Maryja that he had been summoned to the prosecutor's office for questioning in the case of the “Memory and Identity” Museum. Saint John Paul II on December 8, which is the 34th anniversary of the founding of Radio Maryja.

Father Rydzek's summons for questioning on December 8 was confirmed by the spokeswoman of the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszów, Dorota Sokołowska-Mach.

In a statement published on the radio station's website, Father Rydzyk said that Lidia Kochanowicz-Mańk, the financial director of the “Lux Veritatis” Foundation, and Father Jan Król had earlier been summoned to the prosecutor's office. They are both members of the board of the foundation, whose president is Father Rydzyk.

“Radio Maryja was established on December 8 (1991) on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Radio Maryja had difficulties from the very beginning. (…) No authorities spoiled us, but the current situation leads to the closure of the Museum, very clearly leads to the closure of Radio Maryja and Telewizja Trwam, because we are not in the trend of political correctness,” wrote Father Rydzyk.

Father Rydzyk asked the listeners to share “information about this with all Poles, all believers and non-believers,” because “it affects our entire community, our nation.”

In a statement on Friday, the Masovian National Tax Administration announced that during an audit at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage conducted by the director of the tax administration chamber in Warsaw, on July 17, 2024, a notification was sent to the prosecutor's office on suspicion of committing a crime consisting in the lack of proper protection of the interests of the state treasury by the Minister of Culture.

“The KAS notification concerned primarily unfavorable provisions relating to the settlement of financial resources when signing contracts regarding the Saint John Paul II Memory and Identity Museum. The amount of the submitted notification is almost PLN 219 million,” it was written.

The Ministry of Culture, following the information provided by KAS, took steps to change unfavorable contractual provisions and properly protect the interests of the state treasury.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage announced that it was filing a lawsuit to invalidate contracts concluded by the ministry under Minister Piotr Gliński with the Lux Veritatis Foundation and to return PLN 210 million with interest to the state treasury.

The investigation is being conducted by the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszów.

Celebrations to mark the 34th anniversary of the founding of Radio Maryja are scheduled for December 6 in Toruń and December 8 – in Bydgoszcz. (PAP)

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