On Monday, right after the inauguration of the Sejm of the 10th term, the newly sworn-in MPs received tablets as a gift. Then the entry of Sławomir Mentzen (Konfederacja), who published a photo of a long queue of politicians waiting for the activation of their devices, became a sensation.
Every MP received a tablet today. Most of them go with him to the queue to this table to ‘activate’ their tablet. Activating the tablet involves taking the tablet out of the box, removing some protective paper from the screen, turning it on and entering the password that the MPs have on the piece of paper they received with the tablet.
– he signed the photo, which quickly became full of malicious comments. Later he added that “in this queue there is, among others, the current head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, to whom the secret services report. He is standing there so that someone can turn on the tablet for him.”
Janusz Cieszyński, still acting Minister of Digital Affairs, reacted quite quickly to Sławomir Mentzen’s entry and accused the Confederation politician of manipulation. “To make it safer, employees of the Sejm IT Office must approve each new device. I’m glad I could help,” he commented.
However, none of the MPs boasted about the device they received. And there is something to be proud of, because these are definitely not just any tablets. In fact, the Chancellery of the Sejm chose expensive but rather reliable Apple devices.
iPad 10th generation photo: Apple
Tablets for MPs. Tender worth PLN 2.5 million
The tender for new tablets for MPs was concluded in August 2023. As part of it, the Chancellery of the Sejm ordered 600 devices for over PLN 2.5 million. The latest 10th generation iPads were delivered to MPs, in the most powerful configuration. Their store price at the time of the tender was over PLN 4,899 (we are, of course, talking about the gross amount). They are now cheaper.
Price below PLN 3.7 thousand PLN net for one device is, in the opinion of KS, favorable from the point of view of the quality received in return
– the Sejm Information Center reported in August.
The MPs received 10.9-inch iPads with an A14 Bionic processor, Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640 pixels), 256 GB memory and 5G network support. On the one hand, KS can be praised for ordering devices famous for their reliability, and not the most expensive ones at all, because Apple’s offer includes, for example, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which in the most powerful configuration costs… PLN 13,799.
iPad 10th generation photo: DM
On the other hand, I wouldn’t be myself if (I admit: maliciously) I didn’t note that the Polish state showed more generosity to MPs than to primary school students, who this year received computers for the first time as part of the “First laptops for fourth graders” program.
To be fair, it is worth adding that while the iPads for MPs cost “only” PLN 2.5 million, the total value of the program
What about old tablets? The MPs will buy them for pennies
Tablets for MPs were purchased for the first time in 2012. Previously, all Sejm forms were sent to people sitting in the Sejm in paper form, which generated high printing costs. Thanks to tablets, these documents began to be delivered electronically, and this – according to the Chancellery of the Sejm – translated into savings of up to PLN 0.5 million per year.
As the Sejm Information Center explains, tablets make it possible, among other things, to: “remote work during Sejm sessions, with the possibility of participating in votes, and ensuring an appropriate level of security”
Currently, new tablets are delivered to MPs at the beginning of each term. What happens to old equipment? MPs can buy these tablets for a very attractive amount. This was the case with devices purchased in 2015. The average purchase price in the Sejm ranged from PLN 350 to PLN 500.
In 2019, the Chancellery of the Sejm also purchased 600 iPads from Apple. And MPs can now buy these tablets, otherwise, for fear of data leakage, the equipment will have to be disposed of
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
