Next Tuesday, the draft law on the Committee on Russian Influence will be completed; its approval by the government is scheduled for May 21, Maciej Berek, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers, told TVN24.
The assumptions and basic elements of this structure have already been submitted to the Board (for Special Services – PAP). In this sense, the President’s representative also knows them and has accepted them
– said Maciej Berek. He added that the bill should be finalized by Tuesday, May 14.
He emphasized that the final form of this project, on which the Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, Tomasz Siemoniak, is working in collaboration with him, “will be presented to the College for Secret Services next Wednesday.” As he noted, the project will be presented to the government on Thursday, May 16.
We plan for the government to approve this project on Tuesday, May 21, two weeks from now
– said the minister.
According to Berek, the commission’s task will be to investigate the facts and prepare a report on the extent of Russian influence and the instruments used for this purpose “to eliminate such risks in the future.” He added that the committee should consist of experts, not politicians.
If the committee’s findings show that someone has committed actions or behaved in violation of the law, the committee will forward reports to the competent authorities. There will be no committee to prosecute anyone for anything
– noted the minister. He emphasized that we will not be dealing with an investigative committee, a committee that replaces parliamentary committees, or the public prosecutor’s office.
When asked about the transparency of the committee’s work, Maciej Berek replied that it depends on whether the committee will work exclusively on the basis of classified documents or whether hearings will be part of its working method. He noted that this issue has not yet been clarified.
Berek also commented on the committee’s oversight.
We are inclined to make it a structure for which the Council of Ministers is responsible. The Council of Ministers would establish it and be responsible for its activities
– he pointed out.
When asked about the independence of the committee operating under such supervision, Berek added that if the committee is made up of experts, “regardless of who the creator is, this committee will have the conditions to carry out its work.” As he ruled, everything depends on the regulations governing the establishment of the commission and the conditions for independence of its members.
Maciej Berek said the committee on Russian influence will analyze the period from 2007 to this year.
The minister also raised the issue of the law on the commission for investigation of Russian influence, which was adopted by the PiS coalition in April 2023.
The essence was that PiS invented a commission that was supposed to be able – beyond any judicial control – to deprive anyone it wanted of the right to hold any public office.
– he noted.
The members of this committee were to be released from any liability. In the history of Poland we have never had such legislation
– added. Maciej Berek noted that the adoption of this law probably encountered the greatest opposition in Poland’s history from all possible groups of experts and legal circles.
On Friday, May 10, Donald Tusk announced that a draft law has already been prepared to establish a commission to investigate Russian and Belarusian influence in Poland.
A day earlier, on May 9, the Prime Minister announced from the parliamentary podium that the Committee on Russian Influence would be re-established, “in accordance with the Constitution,” and “very carefully monitor the Russian and Belarusian influence on the government of Russia will investigate.” United Right”.
They are not up for debate
– he pointed out.
The Committee for Investigation of Russian Influence on the Internal Security of the Republic of Poland in 2007–2022 was established at the initiative of PiS. On August 30, 2023, the Sejm elected its members, and on November 29 – already in the new term – it presented a “partial report” and presented recommendations that Donald Tusk, Jacek Cichocki, Bogdan Klich, Tomasz Siemoniak and Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz were not allowed to make . are charged with public functions corresponding to state security in connection with the recognition of the Russian FSB as a partner service in 2010-2014. On the same day, the Sejm dismissed the committee members.
Kosiniak-Kamysz: Our goal is to investigate Russian influence
Our goal is to investigate Russian influence. Not by politicians and not as an investigative committee, but by experts, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said when asked about the proposal to create a committee that would investigate Russian and Belarusian influence.
At the press conference after the meeting of the Supreme Council of the PSL on Saturday, the head of the party was asked by journalists about the draft law on the commission investigating Russian and Belarusian influence in Poland, announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the Coordinating Minister of Special Affairs. Services, Tomasz Siemoniak.
Kosiniak-Kamysz referred to the words of the chairman of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia, who stated that “the services, and not the committees, are responsible for catching spies.”
Precisely. We need to change the law because it was aimed at destroying the opposition politicians at the time and destroying us, those who contested the elections. (…) This was the first, malicious assumption of the PiS government at the time. Our goal is to investigate the Russian influence, which is clearly visible (…) in various areas – in the legal system, in the judiciary (…), not by politicians and not as an investigative committee, but by experts
– he said.
He recalled the team set up at the Ministry of National Defense to assess the functioning of Antoni Macierewicz’s Smolensk Subcommittee.
Are you hearing any political theater related to this? Do you see endless conferences, presentations and political grandstanding on this occasion? NO. There is silence and the work of a team consisting of professionals in the fields of aviation, law, aviation accidents and engineers. There are no politicians there. I am in favor of a committee that will work in this way. She (…) provides specific material. It is not political theater
– he assessed.
tkwl/PAP
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Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.