Barbara Blida
Encyclopedia
Barbara Blida was a Polish
political figure who served in the nation's Parliament (Sejm
) for 16 years (1989–2005), including a stint as a member of the cabinet, and whose controversial suicide in the midst of an investigation for corruption became front-page news in Poland as well as in a number of news outlets around the world.
, an administrative center of the Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia, Barbara Maria Szwajnoch joined, in 1969, at the age of 20, Polish United Workers' Party
, the name used by the Communist Party ruling Poland since the period following World War II
. Family tradition to the contrary, she remained a member until the Party's termination and restructuring twenty years later. From 1968 to 1977 she was employed as a workplace safety
specialist at the Chorzów
nitrogen works and, by 1976, had graduated from the Silesian University of Technology
with a major in sanitary engineering
.
(1990–99) and Democratic Left Alliance
(1999–2004) and, having resigned from the Alliance in 2004, served out her last year as an independent member. During her service in the Sejm, she was appointed, on 26 October 1993, to the cabinet of Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak
as Minister for Construction and Spatial Management and served in that capacity in subsequent governments of Józef Oleksy
and Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz until 31 December 1996, when the ministry was transformed into the Central Office for Housing and Municipal Development, with Blida remaining in charge until Cimoszewicz's government ended its term on 17 October 1997. The ministry ended with her and, three years later was restored as Ministry of Regional Development and Construction, headed by Jerzy Kropiwnicki
. Following tenure as a member of the cabinet, she continued as a member of the Sejm for eight years, but also ventured into business, becoming, in 2001, the president of J.W. Construction sp. z o.o., one of Poland's largest real-estate developers.
. Following her 2005 arrest for corrupting
public officials involved with the so-called "coal mafia", Kmiecik allegedly named a number of officials, including Barbara Blida, although the authorities did not release any names, nor details of Kmiecik's revelations.
On the early morning of Wednesday, 25 April 2007, representatives of ABW (Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego
[Agency of Internal Security]) entered Blida's house in Siemianowice Śląskie with a prosecutor's warrant to arrest her and search the house for evidence. According to ABW reports, during the search, she asked for permission to use the bathroom, where she shot herself through the heart using her Astra revolver
, with subsequent resuscitation efforts by ABW agents proving to be fruitless.
, the Secret Services Coordinator, but during a hearing in the Sejm he announced he had no intentions of resigning and stated that Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński should, instead, suspend the chief of ABW.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
political figure who served in the nation's Parliament (Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
) for 16 years (1989–2005), including a stint as a member of the cabinet, and whose controversial suicide in the midst of an investigation for corruption became front-page news in Poland as well as in a number of news outlets around the world.
Early years
A native of the city of Siemianowice ŚląskieSiemianowice Slaskie
Siemianowice Śląskie aka Siemianowice ; is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions...
, an administrative center of the Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia, Barbara Maria Szwajnoch joined, in 1969, at the age of 20, Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
, the name used by the Communist Party ruling Poland since the period following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Family tradition to the contrary, she remained a member until the Party's termination and restructuring twenty years later. From 1968 to 1977 she was employed as a workplace safety
Workplace safety
Workplace safety & health is a category of management responsibility in places of employment.To ensure the safety and health of workers, managers establish a focus on safety that can include elements such as:* management leadership and commitment...
specialist at the Chorzów
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
nitrogen works and, by 1976, had graduated from the Silesian University of Technology
Silesian University of Technology
Silesian University of Technology is a university located in Gliwice, Silesia, Poland. It was founded in 1945 by Polish professors of the Lwow Polytechnic, who were forced to leave their native city and move to the Recovered Territories .The Silesian University of Technology has 12...
with a major in sanitary engineering
Sanitary engineering
Sanitary engineering is the application of engineering methods to improve sanitation of human communities, primarily by providing the removal and disposal of human waste, and in addition to the supply of safe potable water. Initially in the mid 19th century, the discipline concentrated on the...
.
Political career
Using her married name, Barbara Blida, she was elected to the Sejm as a member of the Workers' Party in June 1989 and served for six consecutive terms, until 2005. Seven months after taking her seat, following the January 1990 dissolution of the Party in the context of the 1990–91 fall of Communism, she continued as a member of the Party's political successors, Social Democracy of the Republic of PolandSocial Democracy of the Republic of Poland
Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland was a social-democratic political party in Poland created in 1990, shortly after the Revolutions of 1989. The party was one of two successor parties to the Polish United Workers Party, the other being the Social Democratic Union. SdRP was the leading...
(1990–99) and Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance is a social-democratic political party in Poland. Formed in 1991 as a coalition of centre-left parties, it was formally established as a single party on 15 April 1999. It is currently the third largest opposition party in Poland....
(1999–2004) and, having resigned from the Alliance in 2004, served out her last year as an independent member. During her service in the Sejm, she was appointed, on 26 October 1993, to the cabinet of Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak
Waldemar Pawlak
Waldemar Pawlak is a Polish politician. He twice served as Prime Minister of Poland, briefly in 1992 and again from 1993 to 1995. Since November 2007, he has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy. Pawlak is the only person who held the office of Prime Minister twice during the...
as Minister for Construction and Spatial Management and served in that capacity in subsequent governments of Józef Oleksy
Józef Oleksy
Józef Oleksy is a post-communist Polish politician, former chairman of Democratic Left Alliance ....
and Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz until 31 December 1996, when the ministry was transformed into the Central Office for Housing and Municipal Development, with Blida remaining in charge until Cimoszewicz's government ended its term on 17 October 1997. The ministry ended with her and, three years later was restored as Ministry of Regional Development and Construction, headed by Jerzy Kropiwnicki
Jerzy Kropiwnicki
Jerzy Janusz Kropiwnicki is a Polish right-wing politician, member of Law and Justice party.He was leader of small party Christian-National Union . He was a president of the city of Łódź from 2002 until 2010...
. Following tenure as a member of the cabinet, she continued as a member of the Sejm for eight years, but also ventured into business, becoming, in 2001, the president of J.W. Construction sp. z o.o., one of Poland's largest real-estate developers.
Accusation of corruption followed by suicide
According to media accounts and later official reports, Barbara Blida was named as one of the officials who received illegal payments from businesswoman Barbara Kmiecik, one of the richest women in the country during the 1990s, whom the press had dubbed "Alexis of Polish mining" or "Alexis of Silesia", after the money/power-hungry "Alexis Carrington" character on the then-popular prime-time soap DynastyDynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
. Following her 2005 arrest for corrupting
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
public officials involved with the so-called "coal mafia", Kmiecik allegedly named a number of officials, including Barbara Blida, although the authorities did not release any names, nor details of Kmiecik's revelations.
On the early morning of Wednesday, 25 April 2007, representatives of ABW (Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego
Agencja Bezpieczenstwa Wewnetrznego
The Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego is the Polish government counterintelligence state agency tasked with the collecting of domestic intelligence etc. Foreign operations counterpart is Agencja Wywiadu.-See also:...
[Agency of Internal Security]) entered Blida's house in Siemianowice Śląskie with a prosecutor's warrant to arrest her and search the house for evidence. According to ABW reports, during the search, she asked for permission to use the bathroom, where she shot herself through the heart using her Astra revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, with subsequent resuscitation efforts by ABW agents proving to be fruitless.
Aftermath
Barbara Blida, who was 57 years old at the time of her reported suicide, became the top news item in the Polish media that day, and sparked many comments and controversies, which were also voiced during a special Sejm session. ABW was accused of unprofessional handling of the matter, especially for not ascertaining that Blida relinquished the weapon, since it was public knowledge that she was granted a permit for and owned one after threats on her life in previous years. Some sources also purported that her death could not come as a result of planned suicide, but rather from a scuffle with ABW agents, an accusation promptly dismissed by the officials. Opposition leaders subsequently called for the resignation of Minister Zbigniew WassermannZbigniew Wassermann
Zbigniew Wassermann was a Polish politician. He was an MP representing Law and Justice .Wassermann was born in Kraków...
, the Secret Services Coordinator, but during a hearing in the Sejm he announced he had no intentions of resigning and stated that Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński should, instead, suspend the chief of ABW.