A special commission tasked with investigating Russian and Belarusian influence over the past 20 years in Poland began its work on June 5, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced.
The commission was headed by the head of the Military Intelligence Service, General Yaroslav Struzhik. The commission members will involve external experts, including representatives of NGOs and the media, in the work of the commission.
“It is very important to us that this commission is free from any temptation of political or partisan intentions and that it gives us reliable information. To us – i.e. to state bodies, as well as public opinion about what the real threats from Russia and Belarus looked like in the past and what they look like today. We know for sure that these two states and their services are the most active in Poland,”
Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland
According to him, members of the commission should inform state authorities and the public about the real threats posed by Russia and Belarus, both historically and currently.
The first meeting was held on 5 April. The topic of the meeting was the disclosure of classified information. It is reported that some of the reports will be secret, some will be public.
General Yaroslav Struzhik and other Polish officials say the country is facing intensified hybrid attacks from Russia and Belarus that include alleged acts of sabotage, cyberattacks, and growing pressure along the Poland-Belarus border.
Since the beginning of the year, 10 people have been detained in Poland for committing or preparing acts of sabotage and subversion, allegedly in the interests of Russia, and the number of detainees has reached 18 since December last year.
Implementing a special commission to investigate Russian and Belarusian influence, similar to the one established in Poland, could be beneficial for other EU countries and nations around the globe.
