“It is not Prime Minister Tusk, nor the heads of the security services, who will limit the President of Poland elected by the will of the nation – it is the President who will decide, and people really need to get used to it,” said Zbigniew Bogucki, Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland. “The President alone decides what to ask and to what extent during meetings that he hosts,” stated the National Security Bureau (BBN).
On Friday, President Karol Nawrocki announced that Prime Minister Donald Tusk had forbidden the heads of the special services from meeting or speaking with the head of state. The National Security Bureau commented on the Prime Minister’s decision, describing it as “unacceptable and dangerous for the security of our Homeland.”
Earlier, Tusk had accused the President of refusing to sign officer promotions for 136 candidates applying to serve in the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) and the Internal Security Agency (ABW).
“The President wanted to meet with the heads of the services to discuss, among other things, those promotions to the first officer rank in the military and civilian counterintelligence. And that Friday’s stand-up by the Prime Minister was full of manipulation and lies. The Prime Minister used young officers for his own political goals to make it seem, by twisting the facts, that President Karol Nawrocki did not want to approve the promotions,” said Rafał Leśkiewicz, the President’s spokesperson, in an interview with TV Republika.
Siemoniak Responds
The governing coalition disputes the President’s stance.
Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, stated on social media that “it can never be the case that officers are summoned for individual meetings with the President without their superiors’ consent, since they are in no way subordinate to him.”
Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for Siemoniak’s ministry, accused the President’s spokesperson and the Presidential Palace of “lying” and “blocking officer promotions.”
Leśkiewicz to Dobrzyński: It Didn’t Work
Responding to Dobrzyński’s post, Leśkiewicz suggested that “he took a long time to figure out how to cover up the scandalous and unprecedented refusal of the heads of the special services to attend meetings with the President.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you. It didn’t work. Let me just remind you that the planned meetings were meant to address issues of national security and officer promotions. That’s all as far as the facts are concerned. Unfortunately, the heads of the services ignored the President’s invitation,” stated the President’s spokesperson.
He added that “everyone knows” the parliamentary majority has been using the security services in its political struggle against the President.
“This may amuse you, but it worries Poles – because how should they feel when the officials responsible for our shared security, for the sake of political applause from their boss, ignore the President of the Republic of Poland,” commented Rafał Leśkiewicz.
What Does the Law Say?
Zbigniew Bogucki, Head of the Presidential Chancellery, told Polsat News that the heads of the services failed to appear at the meeting with the President, despite clear legal obligations.
“President Karol Nawrocki invited the heads of the special services to meetings concerning state security. None of them appeared at the Presidential Palace – despite their duty under Article 18(2) of the Internal Security Agency and Foreign Intelligence Agency Act (ABW and AW) and Article 19(2) of the Military Counterintelligence Service and Military Intelligence Service Act (SKW and SWW). This is an unprecedented situation,” he said.
Bogucki explained that he was carrying out the President’s instruction to “invite the heads of the services with appropriate notice, informing the Prime Minister of the topic, date, and location of the meeting.”
“At the last minute, in an absolutely brazen manner, the information was sent only in part and in written form, instead of by the personal attendance of the heads of the services. These were not the complete details the President wished to discuss,” said the Head of the Presidential Chancellery.
He added that “the President has the right to receive information in whatever form he requests.”
“It is not Prime Minister Tusk, nor the heads of the services, who will limit the President of Poland elected by the will of the nation – it is the President who will decide, and people really need to get used to it,” emphasized Zbigniew Bogucki.
“No Problem with That“
On Saturday, the National Security Bureau announced that the President had appointed eleven officers of the Polish Armed Forces, one police officer, one Border Guard officer, and one State Fire Service officer to general ranks. “Congratulations, Generals. And thanks for the good cooperation on this matter between President Karol Nawrocki, Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński, and the BBN,” wrote the Bureau’s head, Sławomir Cenckiewicz.
“All promotions to the first officer rank in the Polish Army are signed by the President without any problem. Because there is cooperation and normal dialogue with the Ministry of National Defence. As for the Ministry of Interior and Administration, there are no issues with promotions either to the first officer rank or to general ranks. The President acts in the best interest of the state, whereas Donald Tusk and the special services are now acting on political orders, attempting to influence politicians and the President,” assessed Bogucki.