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Marek Kuchcinski, President of the Polish Parliament, announced at a press conference in Warsaw on 8 August 2019 that he will resign. Dawid Zuchowicz / Agencja Gazeta / via REUTERS

In Poland, the conservative president of the Diet (Parliament) announces his resignation. Marek Kuchcinski was accused of abuse of power by the opposition for using government aircraft in his personal capacity. He claims that he did not break the law, but two months before the parliamentary elections his position became untenable.

With our correspondent in Warsaw, Damien Simonart

Seriously, at the headquarters of the party PiS, next to its leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Marek Kuchcinski announced that he will resign on Friday 9 August. A brief statement in which the future ex-president of the Diet repeats that he did not break the law.

However, he is accused of using government aircraft and helicopters more than a hundred times between March 2018 and May 2019. Most of the time, he went to his home region in the south-east of the country, accompanied by members of his family and under the high priority status.

► See also: In Poland, the President of Parliament apologizes for abusing official planes

In the ranks of the majority, everyone stands together to defend the honor of the person concerned. For Jaroslaw Kaczynski, " the decision of the President of the Diet reflects his attitude to the party's slogan : listen to the Poles and serve Poland . "

A decision first and foremost dictated by the electoral calendar. Poles go to the polls on October 13 to elect the new parliament ahead of the presidential election next spring. The opposition operates the vein and now claims the passenger lists and flight information concerning the Senate Speaker.