Secret film sparks Polish scandal

By Adam Easton
BBC News, Warsaw

Adam Lipinski is Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's top aide

An aide to Poland's prime minister has been secretly filmed apparently trying to entice an opposition MP to defect in return for a government post.

The governing party is trying to woo MPs and build a new parliamentary majority since ending its alliance with a junior coalition partner last week.

It has ruled out the government resigning and says it will continue its bid to secure a stable majority.

The secret film sparked a call for the immediate dismissal of the government.

In the film, Adam Lipinski, the head of the prime minister's office, is shown discussing what incentives he can offer opposition MP Renata Beger to get her to defect to the governing party.

Embarrassment

Mr Lipinski was unaware that Mrs Beger was secretly filming the conversation.

Renata Beger's Samoobrona party is seen as eurosceptic

She later handed over the tape to a news channel.

The government claims it was set up and that such negotiations are normal practice in the formation of coalition governments.

But the tape is highly embarrassing for the governing Law and Justice Party because it has staked its reputation on being above political sleaze.

Apart from jobs, Mr Lipinski is shown talking about possible financial support for Mrs Beger and help with ongoing court cases against her.

And the scandal could complicate the government's attempts to build a stable parliamentary majority.

If it fails do so in the next few days, government officials say fresh elections may have to be held in November, three years ahead of schedule.