84,000 PLN for an astrologer: farce or business development?

In brief

Astrologer Robert Marzewski from Ełk received an 84,000 PLN EU grant awarded by the Marshal's Office.
The funds are to be used for business development, including learning three foreign languages and research based on, among other things, Russian publications.
The Marshal's Office explains the controversial decision by stating that the application evaluation procedure does not allow for the verification of the beneficiary's worldview.

84,000 PLN for horoscopes: facts about the grant

The beneficiary of public money is Robert Marzewski, an astrologer operating in Ełk. It was to his account that 84,000 PLN from EU funds, distributed by the Marshal's Office, was transferred. The case sparked an immediate discussion about the rules for awarding grants for entrepreneurship development.

The documentation shows that the requested funds are intended to support the development of Marzewski's company. The beneficiary's plans included specific training and research goals. The entrepreneur intends to allocate part of the granted amount to learning three foreign languages. This is intended to allow for the expansion of operations into new markets and access to foreign publications, including Russian-language materials, which—as he pointed out in the media—are meant to enrich his astrological toolkit. The project also assumes funding for research on horoscopes, which in practice means the development of proprietary methodologies in this niche service sector.

The situation has become a flashpoint in public debate. On one hand, we are dealing with the formal success of an applicant who passed the substantive evaluation path at a public institution. On the other, the question arises about the rationality of spending EU funds on activities that, for many taxpayers, remain outside the sphere of science or economic utility.

The Marshal's Office, as the body distributing the funds, has come under fire but consistently defends its decision. Officials explain that the application evaluation process is based on hard regulatory criteria. The evaluation of the application did not examine the applicant's worldview or the substantive value of astrology as a field. The key was meeting the formal and business requirements set out in the support program. This approach shows a broader systemic problem: should public administration have mechanisms for "qualitative verification" of services, or only check the correctness of the application and compliance with EU entrepreneurship support frameworks? In this case, formalism won, and 84,000 PLN bolstered the budget of the Ełk astrologer, opening up new linguistic and theoretical possibilities for him, regardless of how controversial the very nature of his business seems to the public.

What will the money go to? Languages and Russian publications

Robert Marzewski from Ełk received an 84,000 PLN EU grant for business development, which triggered a wave of comments. The money is to be spent not on infrastructure or equipment, but on raising the entrepreneur's competencies. The project documentation clearly shows that the beneficiary intends to invest these funds in language education, which is to be the key to his further research on horoscopes.

Officials from the Marshal's Office, when asked about the justification for granting this amount, defend their decision. They argue that the application evaluation process is based on hard formal and substantive criteria, not on the worldview or the type of activity conducted. For the institution granting the funds, what matters is whether the entrepreneur demonstrates company growth, not whether they are involved in stargazing or trading steel.

The details of the application show what this development is specifically supposed to consist of. The declared expenses focus on three areas:

Intensive learning of three foreign languages, which is to enable access to materials unavailable to the average astrologer.
Deepening substantive knowledge in the field of astrology and horoscope interpretation, treated by the applicant as an investment in intellectual capital.
Conducting research based on foreign publications, with particular emphasis on Russian-language literature.

The issue of using Russian publications in the current geopolitical situation raises particular controversy. Doubts are raised not only by the sense of funding astrology from the public purse but also by the direction of the chosen research sources. The Marshal's Office consistently maintains in its communications that in the application evaluation process, they do not examine the worldviews of applicants or the directions of their scientific interests.

The whole situation poses a question to taxpayers about the limits of subsidizing innovation. Is learning languages needed to analyze Russian horoscopes actual business development, or just a way to finance private passions with EU money? The answer to this question depends on the definition of innovation that the office adopted in this case. For now, however, the funds remain granted, and Marzewski's company is to go through the development process according to the planned schedule. The lack of public debate on the quality of such projects before their approval means that the controversy surrounding the Ełk astrologer may quickly return in subsequent discussions about the spending of EU funds.

Marshal's Office under fire: 'We do not evaluate worldviews'

Robert Marzewski from Ełk became the beneficiary of an 84,000 PLN EU grant intended for company development, including learning three foreign languages and research on horoscopes. This decision sparked an avalanche of questions about the transparency of public spending, but officials do not intend to withdraw the granted funds. The institution refutes the allegations, maintaining that they do not examine the worldviews of applicants in the application evaluation process.

For officials from the Marshal's Office, the matter is purely formal. As they convey in their communications, the application evaluation process focuses exclusively on meeting formal and business requirements. According to this logic, the company's business profile—even if it is based on astrology—cannot be a premise for rejecting the application, provided the entrepreneur met the substantive criteria defined in the support program. The institution holds the position that evaluators do not have the authority or grounds to verify the private beliefs or the substantive value of esoteric services offered by beneficiaries.

However, such argumentation raises significant questions about the standards for spending money from EU funds. Since officials distance themselves from evaluating the business profile, a decision-making gap arises. The taxpayer has the right to ask whether every form of activity—regardless of its scientific or social justification—should be subsidized if only the application passes the formal sieve. In this situation, the bureaucratic "lack of grounds to evaluate a worldview" becomes a convenient shield that allows avoiding a discussion about the sense of supporting businesses based on astrology.

Skeptics point out that the grant, which is supposed to serve company development, in this case becomes the financing of foreign language learning needed to deepen knowledge about horoscopes. This is not simply entrepreneurship development, but the financing of a specific passion from the public purse. The Marshal's Office, sticking to rigid procedural frameworks, closes its eyes to exactly what taxpayers' money is being invested in. The lack of flexibility in assessing what is a real business need and what is merely a private hobby makes the institution a hostage to its own procedures. As a result, instead of caring for economic efficiency, the office legitimizes ventures that only arouse bewilderment and laughter in the eyes of the public.

The mechanism of awarding funds: where is the catch?

Robert Marzewski from Ełk became 84,000 PLN richer thanks to EU grants awarded by the Marshal's Office. The money, which formally reached him as part of support for company development, however, raises huge controversy. Marzewski, who professionally deals with astrology, intends to allocate the funds to learning three foreign languages and research on horoscopes. It sounds like a joke, but the financial documentation is deadly serious.

So where is the catch? Why is the public bureaucratic apparatus financing research on the layout of the planets? The answer is simple and disappointing for the taxpayer: the system does not examine the ethics or substantive value of the activity. The EU procedure is based on a rigid scoring of the application, not on an ethical evaluation of the business. Officials, defending their decision, emphasize that they do not examine the worldviews of applicants in the verification process. If an entrepreneur meets the formal requirements, filled in the appropriate columns, and collected the required number of points, the bureaucratic machine issues a decision to pay out the funds.

In this evaluation model, an astrologer's application becomes just as "correct" as an application from a civil engineer or an IT specialist. The official is not there to judge whether astrology is science or pseudoscience. Their task is to check whether the application is complete. This is a mechanism where "company development" has become a capacious bag. In this case, it was enough for Marzewski to enter language learning and research into the expenditure plan to qualify for support.

For the public, this is a jarring note. For officials, it is pure administration. The system for awarding European funds, designed with formalism in mind, shows its greatest weakness when colliding with such cases. The lack of mechanisms for substantive verification or at least the social utility of projects means that 84,000 PLN flows into the account of someone who deals with casting horoscopes. The taxpayer financed the learning of languages that are to serve the development of astrological activity, and the office shrugs its shoulders, hiding behind procedures. It seems that in this EU system, if you only have the columns filled out well, the stars really are in your favor.

Public reactions: astrology in the state budget

The decision to award an 84,000 PLN EU grant to an astrologer from Ełk sparked a storm on the web, the scale of which surprised even the officials themselves. Information about funding esoteric services from the public purse instantly became the topic of the day. The headlines of the largest editorial offices left no illusions about the mood. "He casts horoscopes, received an 84,000 PLN grant. Storm around the astrologer from Ełk" — thundered RMF24. A similar, skeptical tone was maintained by the editorial offices of PolsatNews.pl and WP Wiadomości, which directly asked about the sense of spending EU funds on goals that, for most taxpayers, border on magic, not real business.

Internet users and publicists focused on the details of the application that leaked to the public. Robert Marzewski from Ełk, the grant beneficiary, declared a desire to learn three foreign languages and conduct research on horoscopes. "Rzeczpospolita" and Bankier.pl scored this set of competencies, pointing out the glaring contrast between hard training goals and the hazy nature of astrological activity. Donald.pl emphasized that although running a company is development, in this case, the line between innovation and financing private passions was moved significantly.

In the face of the wave of criticism, representatives of the Marshal's Office spoke up. WP Wiadomości and Super Biznes published explanations from officials who defend their decision in a purely technical way. They claim that the application evaluation process is formalized and does not provide for the verification of worldviews or the degree of scientificity of the industry in which the applicant operates. From the office's point of view, formal requirements were met. For the taxpayer who reads about subsidizing astrology, however, this sounds like bureaucratic capitulation to common sense.

Interia Wydarzenia draws attention to the fact that the beneficiary refers to Russian publications in his research, which only fuels controversy around the entire project. The case of Robert Marzewski has become a symbol of the discussion about how loosely the criteria for the purposefulness of EU expenditures are interpreted. Is 84,000 PLN the price for learning languages, or perhaps for legitimizing esotericism with the stamp of an EU grant? This question remains unanswered, despite the officials' assurances about the transparency of procedures.

Comparative analysis: is astrology a business?

Robert Marzewski from Ełk received an 84,000 PLN EU grant from the Marshal's Office for company development, which became the spark for a discussion about the limits of public support. The application submitted by the astrologer passed the formal procedure, which is intended to stimulate the innovation and competitiveness of enterprises. Officials defend the decision, arguing that they do not examine the worldviews of applicants in the application evaluation process, only the fulfillment of rigid formal requirements.

The collision of hard rules for awarding funds with such an exotic subject of activity raises questions about the definition of enterprise development. According to EU regulations, a company applying for support must demonstrate growth potential, which in this case was to manifest itself in learning three foreign languages and conducting research on horoscopes. Is the broadening of linguistic competencies by an astrologer equivalent to optimizing a business model, or perhaps just a private lesson paid for from the public purse? The Marshal's Office holds the position that as long as formalities are maintained, the purpose of spending the funds—as long as it falls within the catalog of eligible costs—is not subject to substantive evaluation in terms of social or scientific utility.

In practice, we get a picture of a system in which the definition of "company development" is capacious enough to include astrological research based on Russian publications. An entrepreneur, when filling out an application, only has to prove financial consistency and compliance with the regulations of a specific competition. This is a convenient interpretation for officials, but it causes discomfort for taxpayers. If the state apparatus evaluates only papers, and not the real added value for the economy, a gap is created. In this gap, as we can see, 84,000 PLN intended for learning languages needed for delving into horoscopes fits.

Below is a summary of the key parameters of this controversial transaction:

Grant amount — 84,000 PLN (Rzeczpospolita)
Number of foreign languages to learn — 3 (Bankier.pl)
Subject of research — horoscopes (Donald.pl)
Beneficiary — Robert Marzewski from Ełk (RMF24)
Official goal — company development (Interia Wydarzenia)

This situation is a perfect example of how a bureaucratic procedure, stripped of reflection on the quality of business, can lead to the financing of activities that remain on the margins of the economy for most observers. Officials wash their hands of it, hiding behind objectivism, but it is precisely this "objectivism" that allows for the transfer of public funds to an industry whose scientificity is at least debatable. Is it a farce or a clever business? The answer depends on whether procedure or reasonable spending of money is more important in bureaucratic spreadsheets. In Ełk, procedure won.

Ełk in the spotlight: local context of the case

Ełk, usually associated with the food industry or logistics, has today become an unexpected point on the map of disputes over EU funds. Robert Marzewski, a local astrologer, received an 84,000 PLN grant from the Marshal's Office. This decision caused a stir in the city that goes far beyond bureaucratic offices. Residents and local entrepreneurs are wondering whether the money intended for "company development" is really meant to serve the strengthening of the regional economy, or is merely the financing of private passions, such as research on horoscopes.

In the context of the local esoteric services market, this amount seems significant. Marzewski, as reports indicate, plans to use the funds for learning three foreign languages and deepening astrological knowledge, including the analysis of Russian publications. In the environment of entrepreneurs from Ełk, who often struggle to fight for much smaller funding for technological innovation, modernization of the machine park, or production development, this situation raises understandable controversy. Has the esoteric industry in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship just gained an unexpected leader who, thanks to EU support, will outdistance the competition in the region?

Officials who decided to award the grant are under fire, but they consistently defend their choice. Their argumentation is technical and cold: in the application evaluation process, they do not examine the worldviews of applicants. The procedure is binary. If an entrepreneur meets the formal requirements, they receive support. In this perspective, the profession of an astrologer is treated exactly the same as any other business activity. This bureaucratic logic, although fully consistent with the provisions of competition regulations, however, clashes with a strong sense of lack of social justice among many residents of Ełk.

Marzewski's case shows a clear crack between the letter of the law and social perception.

What's next for the grant? Questions about expenditure control

Robert Marzewski from Ełk received 84,000 PLN, and now the stage that no official likes begins—settlement. The question of how to verify the effectiveness of "research on horoscopes" as part of an EU grant remains unanswered. The Marshal's Office, which awarded the funds, hides behind a lack of competence to evaluate the worldviews of applicants. This is a convenient line of defense, but in practice, it creates a dangerous precedent. From tomorrow, can anyone who enters foreign language learning and esotericism into a business plan count on public support?

Spending public funds is subject to rigorous procedures, but the nature of this particular grant makes control illusory. An invoice for a language course is easy to check. The problem arises with "company development" in the area of astrology. How is an official to judge whether progress in research on horoscopes has actually occurred and whether it is worth 84,000 PLN? The lack of substantive verification of the specifics of the industry makes the grant a financial blank check. The taxpayer has no right to know whether this money actually serves development or is just financial support for a private hobby.

The case of Marzewski from August 25, 2026, sparked a discussion about whether offices should change the rules for evaluating applications at all. The current system, focused on formal requirements and figures, clearly cannot cope with catching initiatives that are a farce to the public. If the procedure is not tightened, trust in EU funds in the region will fall faster than anyone in the office anticipates.

What this means for you

The case shows a gap in the grant system, where bureaucratic neutrality allows for the financing of activities of questionable scientific value, which raises justified opposition from taxpayers.

Questions and answers

Did astrologer Robert Marzewski receive money for fortune-telling?

Officially, the grant in the amount of 84,000 PLN was awarded for company development, including learning three foreign languages and research on horoscopes.

Why did the Marshal's Office award these funds?

Officials claim that the application evaluation procedure does not allow for examining worldviews, and the application met the formal requirements.

Does the grant come from Poles' taxes?

Yes, these are EU funds distributed by the Marshal's Office, which makes them de facto public funds.

Sources

Article prepared by the Wiadomości PRO editorial team with the support of artificial intelligence. Facts come from the sources provided above.