The most confusion during Wednesday’s City Council session was caused by an interpellation from councillor Bogusław Nowak. He asked about the “Starówka” restaurant. He said that the current tenant was paying lower rent than the previous tenant had paid several years ago. The councillor also asked whether the premises were about to be sold. This angered Mayor Piotr Roman. An argument broke out. Nowak accused Roman of being capable of acting to the detriment of residents, and said that the city’s spokesperson knew as much as she ate. Mayor Roman protested and said that Nowak was acting out of envy of the competition.
An abbreviated transcript of the argument follows.
Kto bardziej potrafi rozwścieczyć swojego przeciwnika?
Bogusław Nowak: – My interpellation concerns our once magnificent “Starówka” restaurant. The premises were leased to Integer several years ago. We were told that we would have a genuine restaurant in the city. I do not know what the policy of the City Office and the mayor was at that time. The previous owner paid PLN 6,500 in rent. The city leased it for PLN 2,500. And today, in a beautiful location, we have a restaurant called “Chicken World.” Many people have drawn my attention to this. I do not know why conservation work began with this particular building. Is Integer preparing to exercise the right of first refusal on these premises by paying such low rent?
Piotr Roman: – The rate paid by Integer is the same rate paid by the previous tenant. It is PLN 5.34. It was determined through a tender. No one besides Integer applied. For five years, you have been telling fantastic stories about how Roman and Integer arranged everything. You said this to the spokesperson and to me. There are witnesses to this. You are simply suggesting that I committed a crime. It is not my fault, Councillor Nowak, that you did not enter that tender and that you did not know about it. You told me that you did not know. The spokesperson, however, says that you did know. You simply did not enter because you also had the construction of that restaurant on your mind, one that is a competitor and forms part of the city’s gastronomic landscape. I do not understand where your envy of Integer, as a restaurateur, comes from. For five years I have heard that Integer bought it illegally, that someone made a deal with someone, that someone took money for it. Councillor, that is not true. Not true. Anyone could have taken part in that tender. […] I have not finished yet. Do not interrupt me. I am speaking at length so that you will finally understand. Five years of explaining it to you was not enough; perhaps another five years will be needed. If you confuse the role of councillor with that of the owner of a food-service premises and are trying to arrange some private interest of your own, then by all means. But I want everyone to hear that Integer has always been your competitor. Always. You always complained about the Kliczk family. You claimed that they got these premises through personal connections. If you still believe that, please refer the matter to the prosecutor’s office. I will then file a second case concerning a claim for defamation.
Bogusław Nowak: – I have no intention of arguing with you. You will not provoke me with further insinuations. I only wanted to point out that the general opinion in the city about the way certain premises are handed out is what it is. I hear this opinion; I do not have my ears in my pockets. I am trying to ask you a question to obtain an answer. People say what they say, and you respond. Please do so without any insinuations. As for the premises, there was a place on Komuny Paryskiej Street that was a kind of antique shop. The owners were somehow prevented from continuing to run that business. The city leased that shabby, mouldy premises, with an old tiled stove, to those people for PLN 2,000. When the city tried to raise the price to PLN 2,500, those people gave it up. The same applies to the premises of Krystyna Juszkiewicz. It was impossible to reach any agreement because Mayor Piotr Roman always has some kind of “but,” and under the rule of law and justice in this country he is capable of harming many residents. The “Starówka” premises are an obvious example of 500 square metres in the Market Square being wasted. There was a tender, but tenders in Poland—you know how it is…
Piotr Roman: – Please explain what that tender was like…
Bogusław Nowak: – No, sir. Just as you suggest that press spokesperson Geront knows something about it. Judging by how I observe the press spokesperson in the city and during council sessions, she knows as much as she eats. She is nowhere to be seen.
Piotr Roman: – Bravo, bravo. Please have that entered into the minutes.
Bogusław Nowak: – If that is what the press spokesperson told you. I have never said that to her. Never.
Piotr Roman: – You said worse things to her.
Janina Piestrak-Babijczuk: – I am very sorry. The dignity of the session is being violated.
Piotr Roman: – These two matters need to be clarified. Because this is another source of rumours. The spokesperson used to be your friend, but she is not anymore. If you want to vent some frustrations or complexes, that is your concern. As for the antique shop, that woman even came to me and thanked me for certain things.
Janina Piestrak-Babijczuk: – I am finishing, I am finishing. It turns out that some interpellations last longer than important resolutions. We are not going to discuss here whether the spokesperson has nice high heels or not.
Piotr Roman: – I strongly urge you not to insult my officials anymore, because this could really end badly for you. Very badly.
Bogusław Nowak: – As a councillor, I will not let myself be pushed around.