In a move announced on its official channel, the Prime Minister’s Chancellery disclosed that Donald Tusk has appointed the new heads of Poland’s key security and intelligence agencies. These appointments formalize several months of acting leadership, with the leaders having served in an interim capacity since December 19, 2023. The newly named chiefs are Colonel Paweł Szota, who leads the Intelligence Service; Colonel Rafał Syrysko, who heads the Internal Security Service; Agnieszka Kwiatkowska-Gurdak, head of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau; Colonel Dorota Kawecka, who commands the Military Intelligence Service; and General Jarosław Stróżyk, responsible for the Army Counterintelligence branch.
About the individuals taking charge, Syrysko has a background rooted in counterintelligence and internal security, having represented the protection of classified information at the Office of State Protection and the Internal Security Agency. The announcement notes that Szota, now heading Military Intelligence, has spent 24 years in service, starting as an officer with the patrol and protection units before joining the Intelligence Service. Kwiatkowska-Gurdak, newly at the helm of the CBA, has spent two decades in uniformed services, initially as a police officer and since 2015 as part of the CBA’s Bydgoszcz branch.
The Military Counterintelligence Service will be led by General Jarosław Stróżyk, whose career includes serving as Defense Attaché at the Polish Embassy in Washington and as Deputy Director of NATO’s International Military Staff. Dorota Kawecka, who takes over Military Intelligence as head, has been in service since 2002 and brings experience from the analytical department, signals intelligence work, and the foreign service of the Military Diplomatic Corps in London.
The Prime Minister appoints the heads of these secret services after consulting with the President, the Parliamentary Committee on Secret Services, and the College for Secret Services. The process leaves room for advice, but the final decision rests with the prime minister.
The established leadership structure ensures a coordinated approach to national security across Poland’s key intelligence, counterintelligence, and anti-corruption authorities. The five agencies play distinct roles: the ABW focuses on anti-corruption and organized crime; the AW handles intelligence and counterintelligence activities; the CBA tackles corruption and economic crime; the SKW oversees military intelligence and security matters; and the SWW manages broader strategic security tasks within the armed forces. The recent appointments align leadership with contemporary challenges facing the security landscape, including cyber threats, cross-border crime, and the evolving nature of intelligence work.
The background profiles released by the Prime Minister’s Chancellery present a picture of seasoned professionals who bring a mix of domestic experience and international exposure to the roles. In Szota’s case, the combination of long service with the UOP and the Intelligence Service underlines a deep familiarity with both operational and strategic dimensions of military and civil intelligence. Syrysko’s career path highlights an emphasis on safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining internal security during a period of heightened vigilance. Kwiatkowska-Gurdak’s trajectory reflects a strong link to the uniformed services and a transition into the CBA’s anti-corruption mandate, suggesting a practical approach to enforcement and accountability. Stróżyk’s resume points to high-level international experience, which is often seen as critical for strengthening Poland’s engagement with NATO and other allied structures. Kawecka’s background signals a strong analytical capability and an understanding of foreign service operations, which are valuable in cross-border intelligence cooperation and strategic assessment.
The announcement emphasizes that these leadership changes were made with careful consideration and consultation among key institutions. While the exact content of the advice is not binding, the process demonstrates the governance framework that supports selecting senior leaders in Poland’s security establishment. The developments are reported in domestic coverage and reflect ongoing efforts to ensure cohesive leadership across agencies charged with protecting national security, enforcing the law, and preserving public trust.
The changes mark a transition point for Poland’s security apparatus, signaling a continuity of leadership alongside a readiness to adapt to evolving threats. Observers note that the mix of backgrounds among the new chiefs—ranging from counterintelligence and internal security to international diplomacy and military intelligence—positions the leadership to coordinate across civil and military sectors. The appointments are seen as a strategic move to bolster oversight, enhance information sharing, and strengthen response capabilities in a security landscape marked by rapid technological change and geopolitical shifts.
In sum, the prime minister’s confirmation of these five senior officials, after consultation with relevant bodies, establishes a new configuration at the highest levels of Poland’s security services. The reshuffle signals a commitment to a unified approach capable of meeting contemporary challenges while maintaining strict standards of integrity and accountability across the intelligence and security communities.
— the coverage reflects ongoing reporting from domestic political and security outlets.
Note: this synthesis reflects public statements from the Prime Minister’s Chancellery and domestic media reporting. [attribution: Polish media coverage]