Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court upheld a ruling restoring security clearance to National Security Bureau (BBN) head Sławomir Cenckiewicz, but a dispute over access to classified information persists.
Presidential Spokesperson: Case Closed, Cenckiewicz Has Clearance
Presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz stated that the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling closes the entire proceedings and confirms that Professor Cenckiewicz has security clearance.
The NSA dismissed appeals from the Chancellery of the Prime Minister against previous rulings by the Administrative Court, which had overturned decisions by the head of the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) and the Prime Minister to revoke Cenckiewicz’s security clearance. The case concerned access to classified information at the highest national and international levels.
Dispute Over Practical Effects Remains
Despite the ruling, disagreement continues regarding its practical implications. The President’s Chancellery and the government hold completely different interpretations of the situation, specifically whether Cenckiewicz can currently access classified information.
Government Maintains Ongoing Review
Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for the Minister Coordinating Special Services, emphasized that the ruling does not automatically restore access to classified information. He stated the ruling only concludes the legal-administrative phase, and completing the verification procedure and assessing the guarantee of maintaining secrecy remains crucial.
Presidential Chancellery: Initial Revocation Was Illegal
Rafał Leśkiewicz countered, stating there is no other proceeding justifying the lack of access to classified information. He affirmed the ruling covers the entirety of the verification procedure and that the decisions to revoke the clearances were unlawful and overturned by the court.
Origin of the Dispute and Cenckiewicz’s Response
The dispute originated from a July 2024 decision by the head of the Military Counterintelligence Service, General Jarosław Stróżyk, to revoke Cenckiewicz’s security clearance. Prime Minister Donald Tusk upheld this decision, prompting Cenckiewicz to appeal to the courts. The Administrative Court overturned the decisions in June of last year, citing a lack of legal basis, but the government filed cassation appeals to the NSA.
Cenckiewicz deemed the ruling a “final and legally binding confirmation” that he never lost access to classified information, calling the revocation a “flagrant violation of the law” and politically motivated. He accused opponents of orchestrating media leaks and public stigmatization to exclude him from public life.
Call for SKW Chief’s Resignation
Cenckiewicz demanded the resignation of SKW head General Jarosław Stróżyk, holding him responsible for the decisions that led to the alleged legal violations and politicization of the services.
No Basis for New Procedures
Leśkiewicz added that any new actions against the BBN head could only be taken if new circumstances arise, stating there is no basis for repeating the verification procedure.
Despite the court’s ruling, the dispute persists, shifting to the level of interpreting regulations and administrative decisions.