A special commission in Poland investigating Russian and Belarusian interference has announced plans to refer former Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz to prosecutors for his actions while in office. General Jaroslaw Stróżyk, who leads the commission and also chairs the Polish Military Counterintelligence Service, has accused Macierewicz of undermining Poland’s defense capabilities prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Appointed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Stróżyk heads the commission established in May to examine the influence of Russia and Belarus on Polish politics over the past two decades. Tusk, leading a pro-EU coalition, has emphasized that Poland is facing escalating hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus, including sabotage, cyberattacks, and efforts to create migrant pressure along the Poland-Belarus border.
During a presentation of the commission’s initial unclassified findings, Stróżyk criticized Macierewicz for a series of decisions that he claimed harmed Poland’s defense infrastructure. Notably, Macierewicz canceled the acquisition of seven tanker aircraft intended to support Poland’s fleet of 48 F-16 fighter jets, a decision made without expert analysis or consultation. This cancellation, Stróżyk argued, has compromised the operational capabilities of the Air Force.
The commission characterized Macierewicz’s actions as motivated by a “personal aversion to partners in the EU,” labeling them as “diplomatic treason.” Additionally, the report holds him responsible for damaging the effectiveness of Poland’s special services and intelligence operations by shutting down ten out of fifteen regional bureaus in 2017.
In response to the allegations, Macierewicz dismissed the report as “absurd,” asserting that he did not commit any wrongdoing. A prominent member of the national-conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS), he has often clashed with EU officials, particularly over issues related to the rule of law and the Polish judiciary.
Stróżyk further indicated that the previous PiS government, which was voted out in 2023, ignored U.S. warnings about Russia’s impending invasion and failed to make necessary defense-oriented decisions. He suggested that President Andrzej Duda’s office, also aligned with PiS, may be withholding critical information relevant to the investigation.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski criticized Macierewicz’s actions, stating on a Polish broadcaster, “Macierewicz should have been in prison for what he has been doing to Poland for 30 years. I hope he will finally be in prison.” Sikorski added, “If Macierewicz were a Russian agent, he could not have performed his task better.”
The commission’s findings will now be forwarded to prosecutors, who will determine whether further legal action is warranted against Macierewicz.
