Polish cash-for-visa scandal: Difference between revisions
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'''Visagate''' is an ongoing [[political scandal]] in Poland concerning alleged corruption when granting visas by officials of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Poland)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] and the Polish consular service.<ref name = "okowiza">{{Citation |title = Na czym polega „afera wizowa”? |trans-title = What us visagate about? |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = oko.press |url = https://oko.press/na-czym-polega-afera-wizowa |language = pl}}</ref><ref name = "onetvisa">{{Citation |title = Wawrzyk, Bollywood i specsłużby USA. Ujawniamy kulisy afery wizowej |date = 2023-09-14 |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = Onet Wiadomości | website = [[onet.pl]]|url = https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/wawrzyk-bollywood-i-specsluzby-usa-ujawniamy-kulisy-afery-wizowej/c7jlm3c |language = pl}}</ref> |
'''Visagate''' is an ongoing [[political scandal]] in Poland concerning alleged corruption when granting visas by officials of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Poland)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] and the Polish consular service.<ref name = "okowiza">{{Citation |title = Na czym polega „afera wizowa”? |trans-title = What us visagate about? |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = oko.press |url = https://oko.press/na-czym-polega-afera-wizowa |language = pl}}</ref><ref name = "onetvisa">{{Citation |title = Wawrzyk, Bollywood i specsłużby USA. Ujawniamy kulisy afery wizowej |date = 2023-09-14 |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = Onet Wiadomości | website = [[onet.pl]]|url = https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/wawrzyk-bollywood-i-specsluzby-usa-ujawniamy-kulisy-afery-wizowej/c7jlm3c |language = pl}}</ref> |
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Polish consulates are alleged to have received lists of names from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who were to be issued entry visas to Poland<ref>{{Citation |title = „Filmowcy Wawrzyka” i wielka afera wizowa w MSZ. „Ośmiornica PiS” |trans-title= "Wawrzyk's filmmakers" and the great visagate in the MFA. "The long arms of PiS" |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = [[Rzeczpospolita (newspaper)|Rzeczypospolita]] |url = https://www.rp.pl/kraj/art39110811-filmowcy-wawrzyka-i-wielka-afera-wizowa-w-msz-osmiornica-pis |language = pl}}</ref> |
Polish consulates are alleged to have received lists of names from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who were to be issued entry visas to Poland.<ref>{{Citation |title = „Filmowcy Wawrzyka” i wielka afera wizowa w MSZ. „Ośmiornica PiS” |trans-title= "Wawrzyk's filmmakers" and the great visagate in the MFA. "The long arms of PiS" |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = [[Rzeczpospolita (newspaper)|Rzeczypospolita]] |url = https://www.rp.pl/kraj/art39110811-filmowcy-wawrzyka-i-wielka-afera-wizowa-w-msz-osmiornica-pis |language = pl}}</ref> Immigrants with visas issued in this way travelled first to Poland, then onto the United States and other countries of the [[global north]], posing as tourist groups or [[Bollywood]] film crews.<ref>{{Citation |title = Afera w MSZ, posłowie z kolejną kontrolą. „Rzeczpospolita”: pośrednik ze znajomościami w resorcie usłyszał zarzuty |trans-title = Scandal at the MFA, MP's with another check. Rzeczpospolita: intermediary with connections in the resort has been charged |date = 2023-09-11 |access-date = 2023-09-14 |publisher = TVN24 |url = https://tvn24.pl/polska/wizy-odwolany-wiceminister-poslowie-ko-z-kolejnakontrola-w-resorcie-rzeczpospolita-posrednik-uslyszal-zarzuty-7337963 |language = pl}}</ref> People reportedly paid up to $45,000 for a visa and transfer to the United States.<ref name = "onetvisa"/> |
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Up to 250 000 visas may have been illegally issued since 2021 in return for bribes, in India, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and elsewhere.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3234649/cash-visas-scandal-hits-polands-anti-migration-government-ahead-october-election|title=‘Cash-for visas’ scandal hits Poland’s anti-migration government ahead of October election|author=[[Associated Press|AP]]|publisher=[[South China Morning Post]]| date = 15 September 2023}}</ref> 7 people were initially charged.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/seven-charged-polish-visa-irregularity-probe-prosecutor-2023-09-14/</ref> |
Up to 250 000 visas may have been illegally issued since 2021 in return for bribes, in India, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and elsewhere.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3234649/cash-visas-scandal-hits-polands-anti-migration-government-ahead-october-election|title=‘Cash-for visas’ scandal hits Poland’s anti-migration government ahead of October election|author=[[Associated Press|AP]]|publisher=[[South China Morning Post]]| date = 15 September 2023}}</ref> 7 people were initially charged.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/seven-charged-polish-visa-irregularity-probe-prosecutor-2023-09-14/</ref> |
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Revision as of 20:26, 18 September 2023
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Visagate is an ongoing political scandal in Poland concerning alleged corruption when granting visas by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish consular service.[1][2]
Polish consulates are alleged to have received lists of names from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who were to be issued entry visas to Poland.[3] Immigrants with visas issued in this way travelled first to Poland, then onto the United States and other countries of the global north, posing as tourist groups or Bollywood film crews.[4] People reportedly paid up to $45,000 for a visa and transfer to the United States.[2]
Up to 250 000 visas may have been illegally issued since 2021 in return for bribes, in India, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and elsewhere.[5] 7 people were initially charged.[6]
The scandal is said to hurt the ruling Law and Justice party's chances in the upcoming election,[7] as the opposition parties blamed them of being complicit.[8]
References
- ^ Na czym polega „afera wizowa”? [What us visagate about?] (in Polish), oko.press, retrieved 2023-09-14
- ^ a b "Wawrzyk, Bollywood i specsłużby USA. Ujawniamy kulisy afery wizowej", onet.pl (in Polish), Onet Wiadomości, 2023-09-14, retrieved 2023-09-14
- ^ „Filmowcy Wawrzyka” i wielka afera wizowa w MSZ. „Ośmiornica PiS” ["Wawrzyk's filmmakers" and the great visagate in the MFA. "The long arms of PiS"] (in Polish), Rzeczypospolita, retrieved 2023-09-14
- ^ Afera w MSZ, posłowie z kolejną kontrolą. „Rzeczpospolita”: pośrednik ze znajomościami w resorcie usłyszał zarzuty [Scandal at the MFA, MP's with another check. Rzeczpospolita: intermediary with connections in the resort has been charged] (in Polish), TVN24, 2023-09-11, retrieved 2023-09-14
- ^ AP (15 September 2023), ‘Cash-for visas’ scandal hits Poland’s anti-migration government ahead of October election, South China Morning Post
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/seven-charged-polish-visa-irregularity-probe-prosecutor-2023-09-14/
- ^ "Polish government hit by cash-for-visas scandal", dw.com, Deutsche Welle, 15 September 2023
- ^ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66827742