NIK attacks the Ministry of Climate. PLN 3.7 million for e-buses to Morskie Oko under the scrutiny of inspectors

The Supreme Audit Office questioned the manner in which the Ministry of Climate and Environment awarded PLN 3.7 million in subsidies for electric buses to Morskie Oko, pointing to the lack of rules for their use. The ministry does not agree with this assessment and emphasizes that the measures had a clearly defined educational purpose.

These are four electric buses purchased under a subsidy from the Ministry of Climate and Environment, which were sent to the Tatra National Park (TPN). They started operating in May last year and in the summer season they carried tourists on the Zakopane – Morskie Oko route.

NIK indicates what was missing

In a post-audit statement, the Supreme Audit Office indicated that Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska “granted this targeted subsidy even though the rules for the use of the buses were not specified before concluding the contract and the educational program for which they were to be used was not developed.” According to the Chamber, this means that the Ministry of Environment and Environment did not carry out a reliable verification of the beneficiary's preparation for the implementation of the task for which funds from the special-purpose reserve were released.

NIK also emphasized that the ministry had not implemented an earlier post-audit request regarding the obligation to analyze the validity of applications for the release of funds from special-purpose reserves and verify the unit's readiness to use them. This request – as noted – was not implemented, even though the Minister of Climate and Environment obliged selected organizational units of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, including the Department of Nature Conservation, to do so.

The Chamber submitted a request to the ministry to implement effective management control mechanisms that will ensure that targeted subsidies are granted only after verification of the preparedness of the subsidized entity to carry out the task and the needs of the beneficiaries, before applying for the release of funds from specific reserves and signing the subsidy agreement.

The ministry denies the Supreme Audit Office's allegations

The Ministry of Climate and Environment does not agree with the Supreme Audit Office's assessment, emphasizing that the subsidy for electric buses was intended for a strictly defined purpose related to the educational program of the Tatra National Park and was launched in accordance with applicable regulations.

“We cannot agree with the thesis that there were no rules for spending these funds – they were intended for a specific purpose in connection with the educational program prepared by the Tatra National Park. Public funds – including those from special-purpose reserves – are released in the Ministry of Climate and Environment in accordance with applicable law and public finance principles,” the ministry's press department told PAP.

NIK spokesman Bartłomiej Pograniczny told PAP that no separate inspection of the organization of tourist transport on the route to Morskie Oko is currently planned, although – as noted – NIK collects signals that may be important when programming future inspections.

The Supreme Audit Office's report was published after the 2024 audit of the implementation of the state budget for 2024.

What does TPN say about this?

TPN also commented on the Chamber's findings. As PAP was informed, already in March 2025, at the request of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Park provided explanations and additional documents, including proposals for educational recordings made during the trips. In line with these assumptions, each e-bus is equipped with an audio guide, thanks to which passengers learn about natural, cultural and historical issues related to the Tatra Mountains and the Morskie Oko region during the trip.

Four electric buses arrived at TPN in December 2024 and started operating in May last year on the Zakopane – Morskie Oko route as an educational service. Initially, they were intended to transport only people with disabilities, but eventually all tourists can use them. The buses stopped operating in November for the winter season and are scheduled to return to the route in May.

Electric buses were supposed to be an alternative to horse-drawn transport. The agreement concluded in February 2025 between TPN and the Ministry of Climate provided for the purchase of another 16 vehicles, which would create a fleet of a total of 20 electric buses serving the route. According to the agreement, horse transport would remain only on a shorter part of the road as a tourist attraction.

Animal rights activists demand the complete withdrawal of horses from the route, pointing out that they are overloaded. However, annual veterinary and orthopedic examinations indicate that the animals are in good condition. About 300 horses work on the trail. (PAP)

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