Poland's sports minister resigned today over a lobbying scandal that has begun to tarnish the image of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's ruling centre-right Civic Platform (PO).
Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki is one of several officials accused by an anti-graft body of acting on behalf of businessmen trying to water down a bill on higher taxes on the gambling business.
"I have made my own independent decision to resign with immediate effect," Mr Drzewiecki told a news conference.
Mr Tusk must still approve his resignation but that is seen as a formality. The prime minister Tusk cannot afford any whiff of corruption to infect his party before a presidential election next year in which he is expected to challenge conservative incumbent Lech Kaczynski. Poles are also due to elect a new parliament in 2011.
Mr Drzewiecki said in a statement he had done nothing wrong but that he had stood down to prevent the scandal harming important projects, especially the Euro 2012 soccer championship that Poland is due to co-host with Ukraine.
"I believe that when the media frenzy dies down and all the circumstances relating to the gambling bill have been clarified, it will turn out that I have been falsely accused," he wrote.
"(But) I cannot allow this situation to affect the Euro 2012 preparations or my beloved Orliki project," he said, referring to plans to build soccer stadiums for children.
Last week, Mr Tusk also suspended close associate Zbigniew Chlebowski, head of PO's parliamentary group, pending an investigation into the casino bill allegations.
Mr Tusk says the casino bill will shortly come before parliament and that it still envisages hikes in gambling taxes to help net more cash for Poland's strained state coffers.
An opinion poll published today's Dzienniknewspaper had shown more than two thirds of Poles thought Drzewiecki should quit over what Polish media has dubbed "Black Jack-gate".
Reuters