Parliament Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty seeks clarity on a dispatch from the Presidential Security Service concerning an annex to the WSI liquidation report.
Confusion Surrounds BBN Dispatch, Czarzasty Seeks Clarification
In April, presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz announced that President Karol Nawrocki had sent an annex to the Military Information Services (WSI) liquidation report to the Sejm and Senate marshals for their opinion.
At the end of April, Sejm Chancellery head Marek Siwiec stated that the package with the WSI report annex arrived hours after the presidential spokesperson’s announcement. He noted uncertainty about its contents and the procedure involved, as the Sejm Marshal had not been formally informed. A similar unopened package was also sent to the Senate Chancellery.
Czarzasty Addresses President Regarding WSI Report Annex Dispatch
On Monday, May 11, Włodzimierz Czarzasty discussed the WSI liquidation report annex in a Radio ZET program. When asked about the possibility of publishing the document without a Sejm Marshal’s opinion, he indicated the President would need to consult lawyers, cryptically adding he already knew the answer.
Czarzasty revealed that the Sejm Chancellery is corresponding with the Presidential Chancellery regarding the dispatch from the Presidential Security Service (BBN). He clarified that the annex should have been sent by the Presidential Chancellery, not BBN, and that the status of the received dispatch is unclear. He reiterated that the President did not send the package, describing it as “they sent us a bag.”
Czarzasty Criticizes Report Revelation Plan, Citing National Security Risks
The Sejm Marshal believes publishing the annex involves “serious matters” that could have “tragic consequences for Poland.” He recalled past incidents where Polish intelligence collaborators were killed following the report’s publication and questioned the future willingness of foreign services to cooperate if they fear information will be revealed years later, even with anonymization.
Czarzasty also raised concerns about potential additions or alterations to the annex since 2007. He characterized the situation as “playing with Polish security and Polish services,” urging inexperienced individuals not to engage in such actions and suggesting the President resign if he doesn’t understand Poland’s national interest.
Background: The WSI Liquidation Report Annex
The Military Information Services (WSI) were liquidated by the Law and Justice government in autumn 2006, with accusations of irregularities, including ties to the PRL era, espionage for Russia, involvement in the FOZZ scandal, and illegal arms trading.
In February 2007, President Lech Kaczyński published a verification report signed by Antoni Macierewicz. Investigations based on the report were initiated but mostly discontinued. The Constitutional Tribunal later ruled the publication legal but found it unconstitutional to deny individuals mentioned in the report the right to be heard before its publication.
The Constitutional Tribunal also deemed the law vague regarding individuals whose “actions extended beyond defense capabilities.” President Kaczyński then withheld the annex, citing the replacement of facts with interpretations. Subsequent presidents, Bronisław Komorowski and Andrzej Duda, also saw no reason to declassify it. However, President Nawrocki’s team had indicated he would make decisions regarding potential declassification.