Pegasus Inquiry Casts Light on PiS Leadership and Poland’s Digital Security Debate

The PiS member Radosław Fogiel suggested on RMF FM that the party’s leader would soon face questions about the Pegasus affair. He pointed to Jarosław Kaczyński’s upcoming appearance before the Pegasus Commission of Inquiry, scheduled for March 15, as a critical moment that could reveal the party’s position on the ongoing investigations.

On Friday, Jarosław Kaczyński is expected to be the Pegasus Inquiry’s first witness under the committee’s intense scrutiny. Two days earlier, the panel convened in a closed session to map out the format of the hearing. The Pegasus Commission began its work in the latter half of February, with a witness list that has included former Prime Minister Beata Szydło and lawmakers Maciej Wąsik, Mariusz Kamiński, and Zbigniew Ziobro.

Asked on RMF FM whether Kaczyński would appear before the Pegasus Commission, Fogiel replied that the likelihood was high.
– I think so. I haven’t talked to him about it yet, but I think so, he said.

Fogiel also warned that attempts by the ruling party to dismiss the proceedings as a mere spectacle would fail to deliver the desired outcome. Some observers might view the hearings as a public show, he conceded, but the PiS MP stressed that the president’s testimony would clearly illuminate the party’s perceived shortcomings or places where its stance may have crossed lines.

He added that the president would make those issues unmistakably clear, highlighting what he saw as overreach or missteps by some participants in the process.

“Inflated” case

In response to the journalist’s remark that the president could be held accountable, Fogiel contended that a summons to the investigative committee is not inherently extraordinary. He argued that this development does not signal a settlement of scores, and that the recent coverage in the press—especially following a February article in Rzeczpospolita—seems to have amplified the controversy.

Fogiel noted that press reports claimed there was no Polish intelligence system capable of decrypting instant messengers since last year. He cited the Pegasus scandal as having deterred some politicians from seeking additional decryption tools and suggested that the CBA’s ability to interfere with phone contents had limitations, including blocking the download of certain photos and videos.

While acknowledging that these narratives were based on press releases, Fogiel admitted that he did not have access to secret documents and was not a member of the committee. He emphasized that the statements described parts of the operational activities that could involve breaches of device security to read messaging apps, a point he believed a judge would understand.

The article also touched on the Pegasus case and related coverage, hinting at ongoing debates about how the investigation is framed and reported.

The PiS MP added that he is not aware of any direct involvement in sensitive documents but did not deny the possibility that some aspects of the inquiry had raised suspicions among observers.

The discussion around the Pegasus case touched on the broader question of how the state handles digital surveillance and the measures used to secure communications. Fogiel’s comments framed the inquiry as a lens through which to evaluate governance and accountability rather than simply a legal process.

In other coverage, reports noted that the proceedings are part of a broader dialogue on security and integrity in government operations. The dialogue includes debates over how to separate factual findings from political narratives that can influence public perception and trust in state institutions.

Jarosław Kaczyński’s candidacy

During the interview, the topic shifted to whether Kaczyński might step back from politics. Fogiel suggested that the possibility had previously been considered but indicated a belief that the president could be persuaded to remain in his post. He remarked that for many years there have been headlines about Kaczyński leaving, yet the public’s affection for political figures often defies such forecasts.

When asked whether the PiS leader would want to continue in his role despite both internal and external pressure, Fogiel recalled his own long history with Polish politics. He said that, throughout the years, stories about the need for drastic political change have appeared repeatedly, and a broad public sentiment of resistance to sweeping turnover has persisted. In his view, a national poll would likely show many Poles preferring continuity.

Recently, Kaczyński announced in the weekly magazine Sieci that he would seek another term as PiS president. The unfolding conversation around his leadership remains a focal point of political discourse in Poland, with observers watching how the party handles internal debates and public expectations in the shadow of the Pegasus inquiry.

Overall, the interviews and statements reflect the tension between political strategy and accountability in a moment of heightened scrutiny. The Pegasus Commission’s work continues to attract attention as it weighs the balance between security considerations and the rights and responsibilities of public figures in a time of ongoing digital scrutiny.