The closest associate of Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm Marek Siwiec, has not yet applied for a security clearance granting access to classified NATO and EU information issued by the Internal Security Agency (ABW) – as reported by the Niezależna.pl portal. He has had time to do so since the end of November, when he took office.
The Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm is responsible for organizing the work of the Sejm, including ensuring the secure circulation of documents, which makes access to classified materials essential. He also supervises the Secret Chancellery – a separate organizational unit responsible for registering, storing, circulating, and issuing classified materials marked “secret” or “top secret” to authorized persons.
By virtue of the law, as an official subordinate to the Speaker of the Sejm, he is entitled to access domestic information classified as “secret” and “top secret.” However, a separate security clearance is required for international classified information originating from foreign NATO and European Union entities, marked NATO RESTRICTED and RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED.
No Access
It turns out that Marek Siwiec, who has headed the Chancellery of the Sejm since November 24, 2025, has not yet applied for NATO and EU security clearance issued by the Internal Security Agency (ABW). His deputy also does not hold the required clearance. What, then, does the circulation of NATO and EU classified documents in the Sejm look like? How are materials concerning, for example, SAFE handled?
TV Republika asked the Press Office of the Chancellery of the Sejm about the matter.
“The Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm and his deputy will apply for security clearance. They are currently preparing the relevant applications,” the response reads.
Anyone applying for access to international classified information corresponding to the classifications “confidential” – NATO Confidential, Confidentiel UE/EU Confidential, ESA Confidential, “secret” – NATO Secret, Secret UE/EU Secret, ESA Secret, and “top secret” – Cosmic Top Secret, Très Secret UE/EU Top Secret, ESA Top Secret, must undergo an extended security screening conducted by the Internal Security Agency (ABW).
A security clearance for international classified information is issued for 10 years in the case of access to information classified as “confidential” – NATO Confidential, Confidentiel UE/EU Confidential, ESA Confidential, 7 years in the case of access to information classified as “secret” – NATO Secret, Secret UE/EU Secret, ESA Secret, and 5 years in the case of access to information classified as “top secret” – Cosmic Top Secret, Très Secret UE/EU Top Secret, ESA Top Secret.
TV Republika requested comment from former Speaker of the Sejm Elżbieta Witek of Law and Justice (PiS).
“This is an unbelievable situation. Marek Siwiec knew in advance that he would become Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm. He supervises both the Secret Chancellery and the security division, so it is absolutely obvious that he must hold NATO and EU clearance. Minister Kaczmarska, who headed the Chancellery when I was Speaker and earlier when Marek Kuchciński held the position, had such clearance. She later renewed it. It is entirely natural and mandatory for Marek Siwiec to have this clearance,” she said.
It is worth recalling that the Chancellery of the Sejm, headed by Siwiec, previously issued statements regarding Włodzimierz Czarzasty’s security questionnaire.