Interventions

Transparency of salaries in municipal football clubs

As Citizens Network Watchdog Poland, we asked GKS Katowice and Piast Gliwice about salaries in clubs financed with public funds.

In Katowice, we obtained specific data – the club disclosed the remuneration of members of the management board and the supervisory board. In the case of Piast Gliwice, however, we encountered a refusal based on trade secrets and privacy.

This shows an inconsistent practice: some municipally owned companies disclose such information, while others try to withhold it. In our view, data on salaries in entities using public funds should be transparent, which is why we challenge refusals in court.

Appeal by civil society organizations: transparent selection of Constitutional Tribunal judges and openness in its functioning

Together with other organizations, we called for a transparent process of selecting judges to the Constitutional Tribunal. We emphasize that the way these positions are filled has a direct impact on the rule of law and public trust in the state – therefore, it must adhere to transparency and constitutional standards.

We also prepared a joint opinion on the draft legislation. In our view, its main weakness is that the provisions are too narrow and overly formalized, which may render them ineffective and fail to provide real protection against typical SLAPPs. The draft also overlooks key elements such as: addressing the imbalance of power between parties, ensuring expedited proceedings, providing meaningful compensation for victims, and prohibiting public authorities from bringing lawsuits against citizens.

At the local level

In February, we also organized a webinar where we discussed what lies ahead for local governments in 2026.

We addressed questions such as:
• What is the future of term limits in local government? Should the rule limiting mayors’ and city presidents’ terms be abolished?
• Newspapers run by local government vs. reliable information – why municipal press often serves as a propaganda tool, and whether we can expect a legal ban on such publications
• Can a local councillor effectively oversee their own employer?
• Why recording meetings of municipal council committees is crucial for the process of creating local law, and what the actual costs are

Daily life at Watchdog Poland

In February, the period for allocating 1.5% of personal income tax also begins, so we reminded our supporters how we use the funds entrusted to us: What do we do thanks to citizens’ support?

Thanks to the 1.5% tax contributions, we:
– provide free legal advice to people who want to ask public authorities about their actions,
– support citizens in local matters – from investments and municipal spending to administrative decisions,
– pursue court cases to defend the right to access public information,
– create and maintain tools that make it easier to submit information requests and monitor those in power,
– advocate for legal changes that strengthen transparency and limit abuses.

For many people, we are the first place they turn to when an authority remains silent, refuses to respond, or tries to discourage them from asking questions.