President Of Poland
Poland: Two Versions Of Same Report OK To Polish President
Warsaw, Poland 20 February, 2007 In what might be a violation of the Poland's Constitution, the Polish Government issued two versions of the same report concerning the Polish Military Intelligence Services. Polish President Lech Kaczynski says it was done for matters of security.
One version of the that named people who cooperated with the Polish Military Intelligence Services was released to Government Officials. A different version was released to the public.
On Friday, when the report was released, President Kaczynski said that the report had been released as he had gotten it from the Deputy Defense Minister Marcierwicz. No changes were made.
On Monday, the Polish daily Dziennik In Polish , http://dziennik.com/www/dziennik/wiad/pl.htm#1, revealed that the copy released to the public was different than the one released to Government Officials. And on Monday, after the Dziennik article, the Polish President said changes had been made.
Dziennik has responded that the report was manipulated. One was for the Government and one was for PR.
The President gave reasons for the changes.
One name was removed because of a request of Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz.
Another was removed because the person was in a foreign country and he did not find evidence the person operated in Poland outside the law.
He did not comment on the added sentence but said that some passages were removed.
Deputy Prime Minister Giertych has been critical of the changes. He commented that after the revelation of the second report he received a letter from the Government saying that the first version of the report, which had not been classified was now classified.
That there are two reports has created an uproar in Poland. The Polish media are in a feeding frenzy. See Poland In Uproar Over False Report Released By Polish Government
Some are questioning the classification and call of national security as the reason for changes.
One name removed is reportedly that of a man who was appointed by the President's party, Law and Justice, to the head of a "local media." They ask if removing this man's name is about national security or more about Law and Justice wanting to protect this man's job.
Additionally, the report as published detailed the operations of the Polish Intelligence Services to everyone in the world. The Russians are surprised that they have been given such a gift. And the report has blown the cover of some active agents. If national security was of a concern, why was this information revealed? See Polish President Blows The Cover Of Poland's Spies
Constitutional scholars have opined that the President violated the Constitution. They say he can, if he follows the Constitution, either accept or reject the report. He cannot make changes.
The Polish Parliament Committee for Special Services will investigate the matter of the changes.
