Polish prosecutors charged former defense minister Antoni Macierewicz with leaking classified information related to the 2010 Smolensk air disaster investigation.
Macierewicz’s Charges
Poland’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that former Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz has been charged with leaking classified information, specifically “strictly confidential,” “secret,” “confidential,” and “restricted” documents, as well as other protected information related to the Smolensk air disaster. The leaked information reportedly occurred between April 11, 2018, and May 22, 2022, a period during which Macierewicz held the position of head of the re-examination subcommittee for the air disaster and member of the state-owned airline’s accident investigation commission.
Macierewicz’s Role in the Smolensk Disaster Investigation
Macierewicz, a member of the Law and Justice Party (PiS), was questioned in his capacity as a suspect. The charges could result in a five-year prison sentence. “In this case, there was no need to secure the proper continuation of the proceedings through the imposition of precautionary measures,” the Cracow Prosecutor’s Office stated. This means that the prosecutors do not believe there is a need to use measures like house arrest or detention against the politician. Macierewicz denied the charges and refused to provide further statements.
Background of the Investigation
The charges were possible due to the removal of Macierewicz’s parliamentary immunity by the Sejm on August 5. The investigation focuses on clarifying irregularities in the functioning of the re-examination subcommittee for the air disaster from April 10, 2010 (the Smolensk catastrophe). The Ministry of National Defense had previously provided the Cracow Prosecutor’s Office with a report on the work of the mentioned team, along with 41 notifications of the possibility of committing a crime. These materials were then analyzed by the Four Investigations Team 4 PK, which allowed for the identification of 21 committed crimes. Consequently, five investigations were initiated on November 18, 2014.
