How Tusk can use commission to investigate Russian influence for his political interests
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has issued an order to establish a special commission following the arrest of nine individuals suspected of sabotage on behalf of Russia.
The commission tasked with investigating Russian and Belarusian influence in Poland in the period 2004 to 2024. This initiative is particularly interesting due to its political context.
Accusations of treason have been leveled against important representatives of the previous government.
Read more about whether such a commission can become a political tool against the opposition in the article by Stanislav Zhelikhovsky, PhD in political science and international expert – Security or punishment for opposition: What lies behind Tusk's initiative to counter Russian influence.
"We have nine suspects under arrest at the moment, with charges against them, who have engaged directly on behalf of the Russian services in acts of sabotage in Poland. This includes beatings, arson and attempted arson," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in an interview with TVN24.
According to him, the detainees are citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Poland from the criminal world.
Tusk also touched on the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border.
However, the most interesting part is that the Polish Prime Minister mentioned instances of foreign service influence on Polish politics.
When asked about whether he knew how they were infiltrated into Polish political parties, particularly Law and Justice (PiS), Donald Tusk replied that "there are at least a few people whose actions clearly had the nature of such political sabotage. This is exactly why these services are called upon to remove them from public life."
As the Polish Prime Minister explained, he referred to people in Polish politics who were patronised by former government members – Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz and Minister of the Council of Ministers Michał Dworczyk, "who wandered around Poland with complete impunity."
Tusk pointed to people who, under Macierewicz's supervision, inspected Polish military services and "in a certain sense, disarmed the Polish army."
"There were people operating in Macierewicz’s circle who actually disarmed the Polish Army in some sense, and who damaged the Polish military intelligence services. Sykulski, a well-known promoter of Putinist policies in Poland, makes no secret of this, is the author of political speeches against Ukraine and in favour of Russia.. Col. Gaj... The notorious Gaj was in charge of personnel in the General Staff, and this was a man who publicly spoke on the side of Russia and against Ukraine, and yet he was promoted," Tusk noted.
The head of the government also mentioned former judge Tomasz Szmydt, who sought asylum in Belarus.
"This was a man hired by Mr. (Zbigniew) Ziobro, hired by PiS to dismantle the Polish judicial system. Such people hit the most critical points," he said.
Political accusations against "predecessors" somewhat cast doubt on the sincerity of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's words regarding the opposition to Russian interference alone.
After all, the rhetoric about political opponents is very similar to that voiced by the same PiS representatives when this political force was in power.
Polish President Andrzej Duda expressed surprise that the head of the government advocates for establishing a new commission, whereas he "protested so much" against a similar commission previously initiated by PiS. However, he believes such a commission is needed, provided that it can ask objective, tough questions.
The opposition does not see any chance for objectivity in the new body at all.
There is no unified view even within the current ruling coalition. "The commission is unnecessary. It is a political project," said Deputy Minister of Digitalisation and MP from Poland 2050 Michał Gramatyka in an interview with PAP.