Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau detained on Wednesday former deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Piotr Wawrzyk for his role in allegedly influencing the issuing of Polish visas by expediting visa applications in exchange for payments. Wawrzyk insisted that he was innocent and was released on bail. He faces a maximum of ten years in prison if convicted.

The Central Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested and charged Wawrzyk on September 15, 2023 over allegations that he was involved in the visa payment scandal, wherein authorities allege Polish visas were issued irregularly. Wawrzyk reportedly issued foreign consulates lists of individuals that were to be issued Polish visas. Certain people allegedly paid the equivalent of 25,000 to 40,000 Zloty for a multi-entry visa into Poland.

Previously on September 20, 2023, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson requested former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau to provide information on the visa scandal. Johansson viewed the visa scandal as a potentially serious violation of the EU Visa Code. In response, Poland denied claims that migrants received Polish visas at inflated fees and entered Poland without security checks. Nonetheless, European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said Poland’s reply did not answer all of Johansson’s questions sufficiently.

Wawrzyk was formerly deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when the Law and Justice party ruled Poland before current ruling Civic Coalition came to power in late 2023. The Law and Justice party urged its supporters to protest against the Civic Coalition on January 11. It claimed that the Civic Coalition violated Polish law and undermined democracy—a conflict which has continued to brew since the beginning of the year.