Polish presidential candidate mocked for dressing up to promote his own book
Kyiv • UNN
Karol Nawrocki, a candidate for president of Poland, has been embroiled in scandal after promoting his own book under a pseudonym on television. He praised himself, posing as someone else.

Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki became the object of ridicule after it became known that a few years ago he transformed into a fictional character to promote his own book on television. This was reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
As reported, the book written by a mysterious author named Tadeusz Batyr documented the life of a gangster from communist Poland in the 1980s.
But it has now emerged that Tadeusz Batyr is a pseudonym created by Nawrocki, a historian and former museum director, who is supported by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party in the upcoming presidential elections in Poland.
In 2018, Nawrocki appeared on television in the guise of his alter ego Tadeusz Batyra, disguised, under a hat and with a blurred face, and generously praised himself: "This historian [Karol Nawrocki] actually inspired me a lot..." - he said. - He was the first person to study organized crime in communist Poland."
Even more embarrassing for the presidential candidate was the appearance of a post on social media in which Nawrocki claimed to have met the author: "I spent several years studying organized crime... and Tadeusz Batyr approached me for advice," the post reads. - He thanked me for helping with an interesting book that I recommend."
This caused a storm of ridicule on Polish social media, with users wondering who exactly - Tadeusz Batyr or Karol Nawrocki - would be campaigning in the presidential election.
If Nawrocki is concerned about the impact of his deception on the election, he did not show it when asked to comment on his apparent split personality: "Literary pseudonyms are nothing new in Polish science," he said, before again praising himself: "There was only one historian in Poland who had the courage to study organized crime, and I was that historian. But Tadeusz Batyr had neither academic research nor sources to refer to."
According to the Polish magazine Newsweek, Nawrocki's "fascination" with the criminal world is well known. Local media reports that the historian is familiar with several figures associated with organized crime and biker gangs in Poland. Nawrocki himself assures that any contacts are of a purely professional nature.
Nawrocki is currently in second place in the presidential race after Warsaw Mayor Rafal Tszaskowski, who represents Prime Minister Donald Tusk's liberal Civic Coalition party.
The results of this election are significant not only for Warsaw. Poland is a key Western partner in supporting Ukraine. Up to 95% of military aid to Ukraine passes through Poland, and about 10,000 US troops are stationed here, the publication notes. Poland shares borders with both Ukraine and Russia, and is rapidly expanding its armed forces, promising to spend nearly 5% of GDP on military needs this year, the highest rate in NATO.
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PiS-backed Karol Nawrocki blamed "the decisions of European elites" for the start of the war in Ukraine. Senior figures in the PiS party, which advocates lower taxes and energy security, have accused the EU of conspiring to interfere in the elections.
"These elections are extremely important," says political analyst Marcin Zaborowski. - [Tusk's ally] is the only candidate who is pro-European, Atlanticist and supports Ukraine. He represents a continuation of foreign policy."
Recall
Earlier, UNN reported that presidential candidate from PiS Karol Nawrocki stated that Ukraine cannot be part of international alliances because of "crimes" in Volyn. According to him, a state that is not able to answer for its "crimes" cannot be part of alliances.