When the regulations become decoration
The director twice changed the organizational regulations without the required opinions from the regional office and trade unions. Moreover, the actual structure of the Opera did not match what was written on paper. In almost every fourth organizational unit, no one worked. The Artistic‑Programming Council, required by statute, was only formed nearly two and a half years after the director took office.
This was not a single mistake.
The director ran parallel educational and conducting activities, and the agreement with the local government allowed him to operate outside the Opera without restrictions.
Within the institution itself, he conducted at least 70 performances and concerts, 16 of which without the required consent. When one employee reported years of humiliating treatment by a superior, the director took no action. The employee left.
Staff tailored for specific people
The most serious concerns involve hiring and remuneration. Two people were hired without prior job postings. In other recruitments, requirements were set to match candidates: once criteria were lowered, another time ten or fifteen years of experience were demanded.
They hired, among others, the former superior of the current director and his former deputy from Olsztyn.
Numbers speak even louder. Two employees received salaries above the limits set by the regulations. From October 2022 to May 2025, the overpayment totaled almost 160,000 PLN. Their salaries were 30% higher than those of people in similar positions, and functional allowances were paid even when no employee was entitled to them.
The NIK also identified a shocking conflict of interest. The impresario coordinator simultaneously represented a foundation working with the Opera.
The same person organized events on both sides of the contract.
The documentation was so incomplete that it was impossible to verify whether the Opera received compensation commensurate with the services.
The audit revealed the cost of lack of oversight
The Opera underreported the area used by the catering, reducing the property tax by almost 17,500 PLN. Of the four entities serving alcohol, only one had proper permits.
Five “WinOpera” events, combining performances with wine tastings, were deemed by the NIK as illegal alcohol promotion and a violation of the ban on consuming alcohol in public places.
Controllers also detected errors in invoices, business travel settlements, and public orders worth hundreds of thousands of PLN. In one tender, the description limited competition; in another, the deadline for submitting offers was shortened and the protocol was poorly prepared.
The NIK formulated 18 requests and is preparing notifications to CBA, PIP, ZUS, and institutions responsible for public finances and procurement. The question is no longer whether the system failed. The question is who and when will draw the consequences.
