Prime Minister Donald Tusk informed the Sejm that during the previous government, the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) accused the then-ambassador to NATO, Tomasz Szatkowski, of mishandling classified documents, maintaining contacts with foreign intelligence services, and obtaining unauthorized financial benefits. Additionally, SKW concealed this information from the Internal Security Agency (ABW). President Andrzej Duda was aware of everything.
SKW Accusations Against Tomasz Szatkowski
As the Prime Minister recounted, in early May 2024, the services provided him and President Andrzej Duda with a note containing detailed information that summarized concerns and objections regarding Tomasz Szatkowski.
“I am speaking about this because emotions have arisen around this issue, and unfortunately, lies have been presented in the public sphere – and these lies were presented by the highest official of the Polish state,” the Prime Minister declared from the parliamentary podium.
He explained that he waited to announce this information until the conclusion of the NATO summit in Washington.
“We wanted to act, and we did act, as discreetly as possible. So that this matter would affect Polish affairs and interests as little as possible, especially during the NATO summit,” Donald Tusk said.
Information regarding Tomasz Szatkowski was prepared by SKW in 2019 and reiterated in 2022. This was when his fate as an ambassador was being decided, and it also concerned the renewal of his access to classified information.
“The information about Mr. Szatkowski was prepared by SKW under the rule of PiS, led by officers and heads of services appointed by PiS,” the Prime Minister emphasized.
SKW accused Tomasz Szatkowski of mishandling classified documents, contacts with foreign intelligence services, obtaining unauthorized financial benefits, and relying on suggestions and inspirations from foreign companies when drafting important state documents directly related to state security.
“We are talking about the most important matters possible. We are talking about a man who not only had access but used this access to strategic documents influencing decisions on a gigantic scale of orders,” Donald Tusk assessed.
Concealment of Information from ABW
When the Internal Security Agency (ABW) was to review Tomasz Szatkowski’s candidacy during the previous government, SKW concealed this information from ABW.
Moreover, in 2022, the same SKW, without undertaking any further explanatory actions, confirmed – also to the Internal Security Agency – Mr. Szatkowski’s eligibility for access to classified documents, the Prime Minister further reported.
Irregularities in the Government Strategic Reserves Agency
The Prime Minister also demanded explanations in a matter related to state security, specifically the “diversion of huge sums of money” from the Government Strategic Reserves Agency.
The investigation into, among other things, abuse of power and failure to fulfill duties by representatives of the Government Strategic Reserves Agency is being overseen by the National Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice. The investigation was launched on December 1, 2023, based on materials gathered by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau and a notification from the General Inspector of Financial Information.
“It’s the same mechanism everywhere. There are ‘sticky fingers’ everywhere. There is huge money everywhere. There are people everywhere, if not Kaczyński’s, then Morawiecki’s, if not Morawiecki’s, then Duda’s. In all these situations, there are stakeholders connected to the leaders of the ruling party,” Donald Tusk emphasized.
