I learned about the incident near Bydgoszcz at the end of April, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday, adding that the country's defence minister would likely present a report on the incident. The PM was referring to the remains of a missile found in a forest near in the village of Zamość. Deputy MFA Chief Paweł Jabłoński assured that "it's not that no one knows anything" and that no one had been hiding the truth from the prime minister.
Polish authorities said last month a "military object" had been found in a forest close to the village of Zamość near the northern city of Bydgoszcz, without going into further details about its origin.
Prosecutors also said at the time that no trace of any explosion had been found at the site, which was hundreds of kilometres from Poland's borders with Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Poland has been on alert for possible spillover of weaponry from the war in neighbouring Ukraine, especially since two people were killed near the border last November by what Warsaw concluded was a misfired Ukrainian air defence missile.
Morawiecki: I learned about it in late April
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki commented on the issue on a number of occasions. On Wednesday (May 10), he was asked when he had learned about the incident near Bydgoszcz and why the inquiry had been launched so late.
"I learned about this incident when I informed about it. It was at the end April, a few days before the end of April, in the middle of the week," he replied. He added that - according to his best knowledge - experts were carrying out detailed examination of the place of the incident and the object found. "The prosecutor's office is conducting an investigation and I think the Minister of National Defence, (Deputy) Prime Minister, Mr (Mariusz) Błaszczak will present a report on this case," he said.
Morawiecki was asked once again about the issue on Thursday (May 11). "I can repeat what I said yesterday. Of course I learned (about the incident) at the end of April and today the prosecutor's office, together with experts, is examining both this place and this object that fell down. I think the minister of national defence will be able to present an adequate report soon," he added.
Chief of General Staff: it happened when it happened
An RMF FM reporter asked Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces Gen. Rajmund Andrzejczak about the PM's comment. He assured he had personally informed his superiors about the incident, but avoided giving the exact date of passing said information. He just said that it happened "when it happened".
"Let's wait until the prosecutor's office has finished the investigation as then we should have the official version. Please ask the prime minister or the minister. I'm just carrying out what's within the scope of my duties," he added.
The general stressed he had nothing to reproach himself for. "The prime minister issued tasks regarding the whole inquiry to appropriate people. These people are authorized and competent to provide answers, not me," he explained.
Deputy MFA chief: it is a misunderstanding
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paweł Jabłoński was asked about Morawiecki's words on Thursday morning in RMF FM. "This is a certain misunderstanding because the prime minister spoke about it already a few days earlier, referring to a certain incident from December. It was in his previous comment. And his comment from yesterday is - as I understand it - an answer to the question when he did learn about the discovery of these remains," he said.
"I'm sensing there was a certain misunderstanding when it comes to the interpretation of what we are talking about. That in December a certain incident took place which is still being investigated, and which at least yet cannot be revealed without restriction to the public opinion, we spoke about it in the media. ... That there was an incident of unidentified, or other kind of character which could not have yet been revealed to the public opinion, by the end of the year, it was known already back then," he added.
"Five months have passed. But it's not that no one knows anything. There is knowledge and it gets more extensive. We can't share all this knowledge. But certainly the case is very serious and will be solved," Jabłoński reassured.
He also reassured no one had been hiding any knowledge about this missile from the prime minister. "This knowledge is passed immediately between particular institutions. It is complete. As to the details - we will be investigating this case. It will also be explained if the reaction was adequate," he said.
"I'm aware not all information has reached the public opinion. The case is still subject to investigation. It is a very serious matter," the deputy minister added.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters, PAP, RMF FM