Polish leader Tusk says billions of dollars in illegal spending by predecessors uncovered

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday accused Poland’s previous government of illegally spending 100 billion Polish zlotys ($25 billion) as he announced a government effort to try to recover the money.

Tusk said that six months of investigations and audits had revealed widespread financial abuse, with 62 members of the previous “ruling elite” being charged so far.

Tusk is a centrist who leads a broad coalition that won a national election last year on promises to restore democratic standards. The government took power in December after eight years of rule by the national conservative Law and Justice party.

Law and Justice was accused by the EU of eroding democratic standards. Polish media also reported during its years in power on alleged cases of nepotism and corruption, for instance state funds going to party loyalists and foundations.

Tusk spoke at a news conference in Warsaw where the heads of the interior, justice and finance ministries singed an agreement to coordinate the work of trying to secure and recover the missing state property.

Tusk said it was the “first time in the history of Poland” that former governing officials “were held accountable so quickly and so effectively.”

Tusk’s predecessor, Mateusz Morawiecki, accused Tusk of spreading “lies” aimed at hurting Law and Justice, the country’s largest opposition party.