In a press conference with PiS parliamentarian Marcin, Jacek Ozdoba, a member of Sovereign Poland, dismissed the Pegasus affair as a constructed myth and a meaningless inquiry by the committee. He argued that the entire episode is a fabrication and a waste of public funds, pointing to today’s reporting in a major daily as the basis for his assessment.
The former Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment described the Pegasus device as described in the publication as designed to breach secure communications to collect data, contrary to how it was portrayed in earlier media reports as a mere fabrication to create artificial news.
He suggested that had such claims proven true, they would implicate figures like Prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek, highlighting how this would amount to a significant scandal.
During the remarks, the SP MP noted that the article from Rzeczpospolita indicated Pegasus could be equipped with optional modules at a customer’s request, though Polish services reportedly did not possess such a version. The system could read data from devices but could not alter it.
Ozdoba emphasized that this contradicts the belief that authorities hacked into phones and modified messages. He affirmed that Pegasus did not fabricate any messages and framed current events as normal investigative actions following a crime accusation filed by the Public Prosecution Service. He also stated that Prosecutor Wrzosek is not a victim in this context.
If the article’s information holds up, he warned that it could reveal a broader scandal and a pattern of misleading the public, noting references to alleged special rooms and procedures that accompany such operations.
Prosecutor Wrzosek Is Not a Single Victim
Ozdoba referenced an excerpt from the article that suggested the Pegasus system could be customized, while asserting that Polish services did not have that version. The program could read data from a phone but not change it, a detail he used to challenge the notion of unauthorized manipulation of messages by state actors.
The lawmaker asserted that Pegasus did not generate artificial messages and concluded that the ongoing proceedings reflect normal investigative steps, not fabrications. He described the situation as a public relations misfire and insisted that improvised claims should be dismissed.
He warned that if the reported details are confirmed, the affair could escalate into a political and public trust crisis, underscoring the need for transparency in how information is disclosed and discussed in parliamentary settings.
Play Silent Phone?
The parliamentary discourse intensified as the lawmaker argued that a December government action had already created a false narrative about Pegasus. He avoided definitive conclusions but stressed a desire for clarity that goes beyond partisan commentary.
The remarks hinted at gaps in the publicly available documentation, such as a complete list of individuals under surveillance or declassified files. The speaker suggested that a figure like Mr. Bodnar could have had access, while noting the importance of careful evidence before drawing conclusions.
Ozdoba acknowledged that he had not yet reviewed all the files, and he did not claim to have a final assessment without full information.
Origins of Unverified Pegasus Information
Several weeks have seen a surge of unverified statements about Pegasus, a situation driven in part by information that remains classified. The parliamentarian referenced this context to explain why certain details have circulated without official confirmation.
Today’s article in the daily paper partially clarifies how the system was used, both from a technical and a legal perspective, according to participants in the discussion. Advocates argued that any irregularities, including permits, must be issued through formal court processes with baseline information about the scope of the request. In such cases, the Warsaw District Court would issue permission or refuse access based on documented applications.
Przydacz, a member of PiS and former deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented that the publication helps differentiate speculation from substantiated procedures, reinforcing the need for proper documentation in these matters.
Clear the Pegasus Case of False Information
Another aspect highlighted was that data collected via Pegasus was not exported abroad but remained within the Polish state’s control. The discussion stressed that such information must stay within the country’s authorities, with strict limits on cross-border sharing.
Former head of the International Policy Bureau at the KPRP argued for a careful separation of fact from rumor, noting the increasing sophistication of devices and communication methods used by criminal groups. He pressed that national services require capable tools to effectively counter crime while safeguarding civil liberties.
The overall takeaway from the discussion centered on clearing Pegasus-related reports of misinformation that serve political aims and on presenting a precise account of how the system was used, based on reliable sources and verifiable procedures.
In closing, participants urged a thorough, fact-based review of Pegasus to restore public trust and to prevent further conflation of speculative claims with official records.