A late‑afternoon rescue on the banks of the Vistula in central Warsaw on Monday has turned into a high‑stakes political controversy just three weeks before the Mazovian regional election. Campaign volunteers pulled Tia Srna, a 34‑year‑old organiser, from the river at about 17:30 on 21 September after she slipped from a temporary pontoon; the inflatable craft used in the operation belonged to RiverSafe Solutions, a private firm that won a 12.3 million złoty (about €2.6m) municipal safety contract in June.
Opponents say the coincidence is too striking to ignore — video of the rescue, shot by bystanders, was repackaged within hours by the incumbent mayor’s campaign and circulated widely on social media. The mayor, Piotr Wolski, an incumbent seeking re‑election to the Mazovian assembly, has been criticised for accepting early help from RiverSafe staff who were standing by at the event.
Donor links under scrutiny
Municipal procurement records seen by this paper show RiverSafe, a small private firm based in Praga‑Południe, received a single‑supplier safety contract from the city in June, months after the company’s owner, Andrzej Kozłowski, made a series of donations to Wolski’s campaign fund. The contract covered 'urban water‑safety equipment and standby rescue teams' for public events across the voivodeship; opposition councillors say the award bypassed wider tendering rules.
"I thought it was heroic — until I saw the boat’s crew walk straight into the campaign tent," said Tia Srna, the volunteer pulled from the water, speaking from a hospital bed where she was treated and released the same evening. "They arrived in two minutes. It saved me. But everything afterwards felt staged, with cameras and microphones along the bank."
This was not an accident; it was a staged PR operation using public money to amplify a campaign moment
Ewa Nowicka, opposition leader
Prosecutors and voters react
The Mazovian public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Tuesday that it had opened a preliminary check into the procurement process and whether the company’s presence at the event breached public‑sector rules. "We are assessing the documents and witness statements," said prosecutor Anna Koper in a short statement. No charges have been filed. Polling released on Tuesday by the independent Centrum Insight shows Wolski’s approval slipping: from a 3‑point lead last week to a 4‑point deficit in a sample of 1,200 likely voters.
RiverSafe’s chief executive, Andrzej Kozłowski, told reporters he had provided volunteers and equipment at his own cost and denied any political coordination. "Our crews are trained to respond to incidents; we were not there to promote anyone," he said. Opposition leader Ewa Nowicka demanded an immediate suspension of the contract and an urgent audit, while local activists — including Raissa Garcia and Sæborg Bents — staged a small protest outside city hall on Tuesday evening calling for transparency.
What this means for the vote
Campaign strategists warn the episode could reshape the contest in Mazovia, where control of the regional assembly determines distribution of EU‑backed infrastructure funds and educational budgets. With early voting already under way, both sides are sharpening their rhetoric: Wolski has doubled down on door‑to‑door outreach, insisting "I helped when someone needed help," while his opponents say the rescue demonstrates a pattern of cosy ties between the municipal administration and a narrow set of suppliers. Prosecutors have two weeks to report back; if indications of misconduct remain, political pressure is expected to intensify in the final fortnight before the 10 October vote.
