Polish PM and Law and Justice Party leader accuse each other of Russian influence

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that he has numerous questions for the previous government regarding the possible influence of Russia on its representatives. Meanwhile, Jarosław Kaczyński, the Law and Justice Party leader, has claimed that the situation is precisely the opposite.

As reported by RMF24, Donald Tusk touched upon the issue of a defector judge seeking "political asylum" in Belarus and then continued to criticise the previous government in the context of defending against Russian and Belarusian influence during a speech in the Polish Sejm [lower house of parliament] on Thursday, 9 May. 

Among other things, Tusk said, "If any defence minister did things like Mr. Macierewicz and his team (...) there would have been an outcry of treason," and also asked about Jarosław Kaczyński's past "interactions with Committee for State Security (KGB) agent Anatoly Vasin, which he himself acknowledged". 

"Either government agencies, the prosecutor's office or the commission on Russian influence, which we will create in accordance with the constitution, will thoroughly investigate it. Without cameras, sideshows and media circuses. [It will investigate] Russian and Belarusian influences on the United Right government," Tusk said.

Kaczyński commented on his meetings with Vasin in 1989, stating that it was directly related to his duties at the time in organising Lech Wałęsa's visit to Moscow. He added that the contacts ceased when he held positions in the government. He called the accusations regarding those events absurd.

Kaczyński also stated that there is "plenty of evidence indicating the Russian agenda is consistently implemented there (...) as it was during their [Tusk's political forces] previous tenure in power". 

"What they are doing now, for any normal person, is 100% proof of what I once said and what was condemned then – that Poland is becoming a joint German-Russian property under their rule. Now, perhaps more German and less Russian, but still Russian," Kaczyński said.