CENTRAL ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU Investigation into Tram Infrastructure Modernization – Further Arrests - News

On 2 June 2026, officers of the Regional Office of the CBA in Katowice arrested two men in Katowice and Chorzów. The operation was carried out at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The suspects — a President and a Vice-President of the Management Board of a company administering European Union funds — are suspected of corruption.

Suspected Bribery in Public Procurement Procedures

Officers of the Regional Office of the CBA in Katowice are conducting an investigation into allegations of active and passive corruption, abuse of authority, unlawful influence on the outcome of a public procurement procedure, and actions detrimental to the public interest.

The investigation concerns a public contract for the modernization of tram infrastructure within the Upper Silesian–Zagłębie Metropolis. The project is financed with European Union funds, and the total amount of EU funding allocated for the years 2007–2027 has reached PLN 1.9 billion.

The first procedural operation took place in December 2025. At that time, acting on a request from EPPO, officers of the Regional Office of the CBA in Katowice arrested four individuals suspected of involvement in a corruption scheme and bid-rigging. Nearly EUR 38,000 in cash and a gold bar were secured. During a subsequent search, officers seized PLN 1 million in cash.

At the end of April 2026, officers arrested a further six individuals suspected of involvement in the corruption scheme and bid-rigging activities. Searches were conducted at several locations in the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships. Data storage devices and extensive documentation were secured.

Charges and Preventive Measures

The detained men were brought before the Office of the European Delegated Prosecutor at the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice, where they were formally charged.

The prosecutor imposed preventive measures, including police supervision and financial guarantees. In the case of one suspect, an additional measure was imposed in the form of suspension from performing public functions.

Further Operations Planned

This marks the fifth procedural operation in the ongoing preparatory proceedings. To date, a total of 42 charges have been brought against 11 individuals. One suspect remains in pre-trial detention pursuant to a court decision. The investigation remains ongoing and continues to develop.

In May 2026, the European Chief Prosecutor submitted a request to lift the parliamentary immunity of a Member of Parliament suspected of trading in influence.

CBA Appeal

The CBA reminds the public of the possibility of benefiting from the statutory non-punishment clause. To avoid criminal liability for offering a bribe, individuals involved in offences such as bribery (Article 229(6) of the Penal Code), money laundering (Article 299(8)), or active trading in influence (Article 230a(3)) must:

• Report the offence to the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau or the Public Prosecutor’s Office;
• Disclose all material circumstances of the offence;
• Do so before law enforcement authorities become aware of their involvement from another source.

Anyone possessing information regarding the criminal scheme may contact the Regional Office of the CBA in Katowice, ul. 1 Maja 123, 40-235 Katowice, or the Office of the European Delegated Prosecutor at the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice, ul. Kolista 25, 40-486 Katowice.

CBA Press Office