Scandal after the National Security Council meeting. Tomczyk announces severe consequences. “It will simply end with the prosecutor's office”
The Internal Security Agency is investigating the participation of the head of the National Security Bureau, Sławomir Cenckiewicz, in a meeting of the National Security Council and it seems that this will have consequences for those responsible for organizing this meeting – says the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense, Cezary Tomczyk. It will simply end with the prosecutor's office, he said.
The coordinator of the special services, Tomasz Siemoniak, announced on Thursday that the Internal Security Agency will turn to the Chancellery of the President and conduct an inspection in connection with the participation of the head of the National Security Council, Sławomir Cenckiewicz, who – as Siemoniak emphasized – does not have access to classified information. According to the Deputy Speaker of the Sejm, Piotr Zgorzelski (PSL), who participated in Wednesday's National Security Council meeting, Cenckiewicz was admitted to the Council's closed sessions pursuant to a “one-off decision” by the head of the presidential office, Zbigniew Bogucki.
Presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz explained on Thursday that “Cenckiewicz was additionally authorized to access classified information classified as restricted – i.e. the lowest classification – which was in force during the meeting of the National Security Council.” He also confirmed to RMF24 that the authorization was issued by the head of the Chancellery of the President, Zbigniew Bogucki.
On Friday on TVN24, Tomczyk said that when it comes to meetings such as the National Security Council, the organizer – in this case, the Chancellery of the President – takes all responsibility. He noted that it is the organizer who “ensures that people who are have access (to classified information) or that they are granted one-time access, for example granted, in this case, by the president.”
ABW – added the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense – is investigating this case. – If everything is confirmed, and it seems that it is, it will have consequences for those who organize these meetings – said Tomczyk.
Cenckiewicz is not invited to classified meetings organized by the Ministry of National Defense
In response to the comment that the coordinator of the secret services had already said that, in his opinion, the head of the National Security Bureau could not have given Cenckiewicz permission to access classified information, he repeated that the Chancellery of the President was responsible for the fact that the head of the National Security Bureau was at the National Security Council meeting. – And it simply ends with the prosecutor's office and all the consequences that result from it – said Tomczyk.
He added that Cenckiewicz is not invited to classified meetings organized by the Ministry of National Defence. – We do not inform Mr. Cenckiewicz about classified matters, we are very careful about how classified information is distributed. Moreover, the coordinator pointed out at the meeting at the National Security Council. I think the case will continue, said the deputy minister of defense.
To the comment that since the head of the KPRP gives Cenckiewicz access to classified information for one day, he thus admits – contrary to what KPRP representatives have repeatedly claimed – that the head of the National Security Bureau does not have this access, Tomczyk replied that he thought that President Karol Nawrocki “has formed a staff of people who are simply unable to perform many tasks.”
– You cannot be the head of the National Security Bureau without access to classified information, because that defeats the purpose. But this is the president's decision. I think that this staff – as it was recently said – of the president is, to put it bluntly, not the best – said Tomczyk.
Skalik, because he is an MP, has access to secret information
He was also asked whether it is possible to talk honestly, for example, about purchases for the army, in the presence of MP Włodzimierz Skalik, the head of the parliamentary circle of Grzegorz Braun's group – the Confederation of the Polish Crown, who professes pro-Russian views. – Therefore, when providing information at the National Security Council, we always take into account who is at such a meeting or another – said the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense. He noted that Skalik, because he is an MP, has access to secret information, but – as he added – if he were the president, he would never invite this MP to a meeting of the National Security Council.
When asked why he thought Skalik was invited, Tomczyk said that “the president has already said that he is closer to Braun than to Prime Minister Donald Tusk.” – I think this is a line that has been adopted, a line, to put it bluntly, that works to the detriment of our country – said Tomczyk.
He emphasized that “in view of what is happening, given the history that we all know, given the history that is happening in Ukraine, there is no place for pro-Russian views in Poland and we should separate all those who have such views from politics with a wide security cordon, because we really do not need a fifth column in Poland,” added the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense.
In July 2024, the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) took away Cenckiewicz's security clearance, which is required for access to classified information. After Cenckiewicz's complaint, the case was brought to the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw, which on June 17 last year. this decision was annulled. Chancellery of the Prime Minister on August 5 last year filed cassation appeals against the judgment of the Provincial Administrative Court, where the case is pending, to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Cenckiewicz himself maintains that he has “access to classified national and international information based on security clearances issued by the Military Counterintelligence Service.” He refers to the judgment of the Provincial Administrative Court of June 17, 2025. Moreover, he indicates that – regardless of this – as the head of an organizational unit, i.e. the National Security Bureau, he has access to classified information classified as “restricted” under the Act on the Protection of Classified Information. According to the information on the role, principles of organization and composition of the National Security Council published on the National Security Council website, the president may invite to participate in its work – apart from members of the Council – various other persons whose participation is indicated due to the subject of the matters under consideration. Council meetings are closed unless the president orders otherwise.
On Thursday, on TVN24, Tomczyk was also asked about the words of PiS politician Przemysław Czarnek, who, when asked by “Rzeczpospolita” whether PiS could co-create a government with Grzegorz Braun's party, replied that PiS cannot form a government with Donald Tusk's people, and if there is a need to create a coalition, PiS will form a coalition with those parties that want to create a responsible government. When asked whether he did not rule out cooperation with the Confederation of the Polish Crown, Czarnek replied that only cooperation with Donald Tusk and his people was excluded, and everything else was possible.
According to Tomczyk, Czarnek's words de facto contradict what PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński said, who – as he added – “denied that he would 'never form a coalition with Braun'.” When asked whether he did not believe in this declaration of the PiS leader, he replied that Czarnek was one of the PiS candidates for prime minister and “he says directly that Braun is acceptable.” – Kaczyński will do anything for power, he will not hesitate even for 30 seconds when it comes to the issue of coalition with Barun,” Tomczyk believes.
In his opinion, this can be seen in the discussion about the SAFE program, where there is “PLN 180 billion for the Polish army and Polish security”, and PiS says it does not want it. – So who is he running against in this political race? Well, with Braun. After all, this rivalry on the right is so anti-EU, de facto anti-Polish, pro-Russian, because there is no other way to call it, he said. (PAP)
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