WARSAW, Poland — A parliamentary committee focusing on Poland’s visa-for-cash scandal announced on Tuesday that it intends to forward evidence of potential legal violations by the country’s former prime minister and other high-ranking officials from his prior right-leaning administration to prosecutors.

The specialized committee was established to look into allegations surrounding irregularities within the visa department of the Foreign Ministry. These irregularities reportedly peaked between 2018 and 2023, during which time Polish consulates in Asian and African countries allegedly accepted bribes in the form of thousands of dollars to issue work visas, effectively facilitating the entry of numerous migrants into the European Union.

One particularly striking incident highlighted involved several farmers from India whose visa applications incorrectly labeled them as Bollywood filmmakers.

Marek Sowa, the chairman of this investigative body, shared a preliminary report detailing the panel’s findings on Tuesday after conducting interviews with various witnesses and officials, in addition to a review of pertinent documentation.

Sowa stated that the committee would notify prosecutors regarding asserted legal violations involving former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, former Internal Affairs Minister Mariusz Kaminski, and former Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, alongside eight additional senior officials. The report includes serious accusations of negligence, corruption, and misuse of authority.

Sowa pointed out that Morawiecki’s administration, belonging to the Law and Justice party, played a role in the uncontrolled influx of migrants into Poland and consequently into the EU. In response to these events, Poland has since tightened its visa guidelines.

Earlier this year, an investigation conducted by Poland’s Supreme Audit Office corroborated claims that significant fees were charged by the country’s consulates in Asia and Africa in exchange for issued work visas. The audit revealed a notable lack of transparency within the foreign ministry, revealing an environment that was vulnerable to corruption and characterized by inadequate oversight.