Poland’s parliamentary speaker resigns after scandal over use of govt flights

The speaker of the Polish parliament is resigning after a scandal erupted over private use of a government plane by him and his family, AP reports. The affair was threatening to damage the reputation of the right-wing ruling party, Law and Justice, ahead of elections in October.

Speaker Marek Kuchcinski made his announcement on Thursday standing alongside party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Polish politics have for days been consumed by an affair dubbed “Air Kuchcinski.”

The media and political opponents had revealed that the speaker frequently flew by government jet from Warsaw to his home city Rzeszow, 280km (175 miles) to the south.

Kaczynski has since tightened rules about the official use of government aircraft.