Economist is latest Pole to be linked with Panama Papers
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
14.04.2016 12:51
Noted economist and former finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz is the latest Pole to be linked with the Panama Papers affair, as research continues into offshore companies exposed in the 3 April leak.
Panamanian Police agents stand guard outside the headquarters of Mossack Fonseca firm, in Panama City, Panama, 12 April 2016. Panama's Prosecutor office raided the headquarters of Mossack Fonseca as part of a regular investigation opened after the Panama Papers leak. EPA/Alejandro Bolivar
A Polish daily has noted that Balcerowicz's NGO the Civil Development Forum (FOR) has been sponsored by two offshore companies in the Caribbean, and they are listed as donors on FOR's website.
The companies in question are Fairfield Corporation and Mesamedia Holding, and both are connected with the creators of the media concern ITI Group: Swiss businessman Bruno Valsangiacomo and the late Polish businessman Jan Wejchert.
“We do not disclose records of contracts with donors, including the declared amounts of [financial] support,” a spokesperson for FOR told the Gazeta Polska daily.
“In relations with donors we are guided by the Financial Code and the Code of Good Practices.”
Some 11 million confidential documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca were leaked to German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, and duly shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists earlier this month.
On Wednesday, Panama's Prosecutor's Office raided Mossack Fonseca headquarters as part of an investigation. The firm has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that it is a victim of hackers and that the information in the leaked documents is being misrepresented.
Leszek Balcerowicz is a former finance minister (1989-91 and 1997-2000) and National Bank of Poland chairman. He was the architect of the economic 'shock therapy' applied to Poland following the 1989 collapse of the communist regime.