Biznes Fakty
Crisis in Janów Podlaski. Deputy Minister: During the PiS government, the best horses were sold off
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jacek Czerniak, the stud farm in Janów Podlaski experienced a decline in its finest horses and genetic assets during the PiS administration. He noted that the revitalization of Arabian horse breeding is a lengthy endeavor that will span several years.
On Thursday, MP Kazimierz Choma, representing PiS, inquired in the Sejm about the actions the Ministry of Agriculture plans to implement to prevent the complete disintegration of Arabian horse breeding in Poland. He stated that the current losses in Arabian horse studs are unprecedented – with losses in Janów Podlaski totaling PLN 4 million and PLN 3.9 million in Michałów.
He mentioned that multiple horses have died in Janów, and several others had to be euthanized due to injuries. The MP pointed out that irregularities concerning the organization of Arabian Horse Day in 2024 have sparked a prosecutor’s investigation, while the dubious sale of the celebrated mare Zigi Zana at last year’s Pride of Poland auction, which fetched a price of 145 thousand euros, ended in embarrassment as no one is willing to pay the auctioned sum.
Deputy Minister Czerniak acknowledged that there was a NIK audit related to the Pride of Poland auction, but „the post-audit report revealed no irregularities in this context.” He stressed that the restoration of the breeding farm is a multi-year effort and that PiS lacks the moral authority to blame the current management of the stud farms for negligence.
Janów Podlaski – Arabian Horse Day 2024 PAPA challenging situation in Janów Podlaski
Czerniak reminded that during the PiS rule from 2015 to 2023, there were 10 changes in the board members at the Janów Podlaski stud farm and 6 at Michałów. He believes that such frequent changes in personnel led to instability.
– The finest horses were sold off, genetic resources were depleted, and rebuilding them will be a time-consuming process – stated the deputy head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He acknowledged that the present financial performance of these establishments is unsatisfactory, but this does not imply that they are in a dire state.
– I urge you to also take some responsibility for what transpired, assess your outcomes, and potentially propose a solution – the deputy minister implored.
Fryderyk Kampinos (PiS) questioned why the general director of the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR) classified a report prepared at his request concerning the status of Arabian horse breeding. According to media reports, the report was expected to be highly critical of the eight years of PiS governance over the stud farms. The report was sent to the prosecutor’s office, which, upon review, declined to initiate proceedings due to insufficient evidence of a crime. KOWR classified the report, citing the presence of confidential information.
Czerniak clarified that the report was classified because it included details pertaining to the genetics of the horses.
The queries posed by PiS MPs were summarized by the chairwoman of the Sejm session, Deputy Speaker Dorota Niedziela (KO), who remarked that „this is hypocrisy”, noting that she had visited Janów several times in recent years and had witnessed the conditions there.
She also referenced the estimates of losses incurred at the Janów and Michałów studs and – as she pointed out – the NIK report illustrated the situation within the studs. She noted that 40 percent of „old blood” should be maintained in breeding, yet only 10 percent remains. – So please, refrain from discussing this, as I will not tolerate such audacity – Niedziela concluded.
