Prosecutor launches investigation into closure of Siennicki Bridge

Majewski told PAP that city councillors received a letter on Thursday notifying them of the opening of the proceedings. The investigation concerns the municipal authority’s handling of the closure of the Siennicki Bridge, a key crossing serving Port Island and surrounding districts.

– Earlier, we were questioned by the prosecutor's office about this matter, and now the City Council has received an official notice that the investigation has been initiated – said Majewski, who also provided PAP with a scan of the letter from the prosecutor.

The document states that the investigation was formally launched on April 2, 2025.

Daniel Stenzel, spokesperson for the Gdańsk City Hall, stated on Thursday that the city is fully cooperating with the prosecutor's office.

The motion to initiate proceedings was submitted by PiS councillors on February 3, supported by MP Kacper Płażyński. The announcement came during a press conference held on the same day.

The Siennicki Bridge was closed on January 10 due to severe technical issues. Engineers from the Gdańsk University of Technology found that the abutments of the bridge were shifting, posing a serious risk of collapse. The repair project is expected to take around two years and cost approximately PLN 30 million.

During the earlier press briefing, MP Płażyński argued that city officials had known for over six months that the bridge could be rendered unusable at any moment.

– Yet no steps were taken during that time to prepare for such a scenario. Residents were left in the dark and had no chance to plan their daily routines around the risk – he said.

Councillor Majewski pointed out that the complaint submitted to the prosecutor's office named two individuals: Gdańsk Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz and her deputy Piotr Borawski.

– They are the decision-makers. They had access to the technical evaluations and to an expert report from 2020 – Majewski noted.

In his view, city officials should have ensured proper communication and contingency plans for residents of Port Island before closing the bridge.

In late January 2025, the Gdańsk City Hall published a timeline of actions taken regarding the Siennicki Bridge. The document notes that in April 2024, a new contractor was hired to carry out the investment. A month later, engineers from the Gdańsk University of Technology issued a technical opinion identifying structural shifts in the bridge abutments. They recommended regular monitoring and biweekly inspections.

From May through December 2024, the bridge was monitored on a weekly basis.

The Siennicki Bridge, alongside the cable-stayed bridge and the tunnel under the Dead Vistula, is one of the main access points connecting the districts of Stogi, Przeróbka and Górki Zachodnie with central Gdańsk.