We are in the early stages of the commission's operation. I specified at the press conference that we did not do more than 20 percent. Today I say that we have less than 10 percent, because we have so many new indications, so many new circumstantial evidence – said General Jarosław Stróżyk, head of the commission for investigating Russian and Belarusian influence, in “Rozmowa Piaseckiego” on TVN24.
The head of the Military Counterintelligence Service and chairman of the commission for investigating Russian and Belarusian influence presented the results of the commission's work last week at a conference. General Jarosław Stróżyk announced that the commission would submit an application to the prosecutor's office regarding the possibility of diplomatic treason committed by the former head of the Ministry of National Defence, Antoni Macierewicz. This includes, among other things, the ministry's withdrawal from the program to acquire air tankers.
General Stróżyk: we are at an early stage of the commission's operation
The head of the Military Counterintelligence Service was asked on Monday in “Rozmowa Piaseckiego” on TVN24 whether the commission had evidence today that Russia and its secret services influenced Polish decision-makers and significantly influenced one of the decisions of these decision-makers.
General Stróżyk said that the commission has so far issued its first partial report. – I presented it at the Council of Ministers. It is a 60-page, classified, confidential report. And it contains a number of different, I would say, connections, a number of names that may be interesting, but unfortunately at this stage, as I said, or as I said during the conference, we cannot reveal them – he added.
When asked if these were names and connections, if they were evidence, or at least strong circumstantial evidence, he replied that “strong circumstantial evidence for sure.”
– There is strong evidence that some people in Poland were pursuing Russia's foreign policy goals – said the head of the Military Counterintelligence Service.
When asked whether he believed that they did it because they received such orders, were given such tasks, were under pressure or were influenced by financial transfers, or whether it happened that their way of thinking was similar to the Russian way of thinking, General Stróżyk replied, that there were different motivations.
– We are really at an early stage of the commission's operation. I stated at the press conference that we did not do more than 20 percent. Today, after various conversations over the last few days, I claim that we have less than 10 percent, because we have so many new indications, so many new clues, so many new documents shown somewhere by people who have seen something before and encourage us to read it – he added.
Stróżyk: the report shows the weakness of the Polish secret services
– It seems to me that to talk about Russia or… Belarus influenced some Polish decision, we need to find either that the politician who made this decision is a collaborator of Russian intelligence, or people from his environment are collaborators of this intelligence or counterintelligence and influence him, or his party receives financial transfers, or from for some reason it pursues Russian goals. Do you think such things happened in Poland? – asked the host Konrad Piasecki.
– Yes, such things happened – Stróżyk replied.
The head of the Military Counterintelligence Service said that the report “also shows the weakness of the Polish secret services.” – Weakness over the years, I would say, indications of certain people, indications of certain mechanisms. It is no accident that I have been talking about the weakening of the secret services by politicians over the last several dozen years, especially, as it happens, of one political option – he added.
Main photo source: TVN24