MP Szymon Pogoda presented a report on the spending of the lump-sum allowance intended to operate his parliamentary office in 2025. The document shows that last year the Chancellery of the Sejm transferred PLN 279,720 for this purpose. Including funds unused from the previous period, PLN 351,479.25 was available for settlement. The MP spent PLN 277,384.93, while the unused amount was PLN 74,094.32.
The largest item in the report is the salaries of parliamentary office employees, together with related costs. They amounted to PLN 115,140.21. The second major item was the rent of the parliamentary office, including charges for energy, water, waste collection and local taxes, among other things. This cost amounted to PLN 53,281.27.
However, travel expenses stand out above all. MP Pogoda reported PLN 36,892 for travel related to performing his parliamentary mandate in his own or another vehicle. In addition, there was PLN 2,574.60 for taxis and PLN 4,639 in parking costs. Altogether, this amounts to PLN 44,105.60 in expenses related to travel, taxis and parking.
For comparison, in recent days national media have reported on MP Anna Maria Żukowska’s mileage allowances. According to Onet, the Left MP admitted that she reported approximately PLN 38,000 in mileage allowances in 2025. She explained that she has seven parliamentary offices and that a parliamentary mandate is exercised not only in one’s own constituency but throughout the country.
In Szymon Pogoda’s case, the report gives the address of the parliamentary office in Bolesławiec, at 1 Maja Street. The document does not list several offices that might explain the need to travel regularly between multiple locations serving residents. Nevertheless, the mileage allowance itself is similar to the amount that became the subject of public debate in Żukowska’s case. The difference is PLN 1,289.95 when Pogoda’s PLN 36,892 is compared with Żukowska’s PLN 38,181.95.
The report also includes a list of assets purchased with funds intended to operate the parliamentary office. It contains three items: a Samsung Galaxy M35 smartphone for PLN 963.92, an Apple iPhone 16 Pro 128 GB for PLN 4,899, and a DeLonghi Eletta Explore coffee machine for PLN 3,999. Bolesławiec is listed as the place of use for all these items.
The purchase of an iPhone 16 Pro for nearly PLN 4,900 may raise questions about the equipment standards of a parliamentary office financed with public money. Formally, MPs may use funds from the lump-sum allowance to operate their offices and purchase equipment needed to perform their mandates. However, a separate question is whether a parliamentary office actually needs to purchase higher-priced equipment.