Controversy over soldiers detained after firing shots at migrants

Onet news website reported on Wednesday evening on the detention of three soldiers who had fired warning shots at the refugees forcing their way through the Belarusian border. "The prosecutor's office charged two of them with overstepping their authority and endangering the lives of others," Onet said.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X on Thursday he had received a report on the situation from the defense minister. "Actions by the Prosecutor's Office and the Military Police against our soldiers raises legitimate concerns and people's outrage," he wrote.

"I expect swift resolutions and organizational, legal, and personal decisions," Tusk stressed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz addressed the matter at a press conference on Thursday morning. He said that the incident had occurred at the end of March and he had been informed about it by the commander of the Military Police.

"The commander of the Podlasie Military Task Force (WZZ) decided to send the video material received from the Border Guard to the Military Police, which then decided to refer it to the prosecutor's office, to the military division," he said.

"We have a situation that needs to be clarified, as does any other," Kosiniak-Kamysz said. He emphasized that in May alone, Polish soldiers used weapons about 700 times under alert system. "If any commander later analyzes and has any doubts, he is also obliged to take certain actions, and that is what happened in this case," the minister noted.

He added that "initially the situation concerned three soldiers, later two." The minister stated that "the Military Police, at the request of the Podlasie WZZ commander, is conducting an investigation into the abuse of authority".

Kosiniak-Kamysz underscored that he deeply believes in Polish soldiers, and those in question were never arrested, only detained. "The prosecutor's office will issue a statement today and everything will be explained there," the defense minister announced.

In his view, the Military Police was overeager in its actions against the soldiers. He added that this would be clarified by a commission appointed in the Military Police, and that he expects immediate actions from the Chief Commander of the Military Police.

Kosiniak-Kamysz assured during the press conference that the incident was not concealed, and that an investigative procedure is being conducted, which he is not authorized to report on.

"I was informed about the incident and that the Military Police and the prosecutor's office are taking all necessary actions. As for the manner of the detention itself, it is also shocking to me. Until inquiries from Onet and the portal's publication, I had no information about the manner of the detention," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

The Minister of National Defense was asked about the statements of Deputy Prosecutor General for Military Affairs, Prosecutor Tomasz Janeczek, who, referring to the soldiers' intervention with the group of migrants at the Polish-Belarusian border, declared that he was "in no way informed about the incidents at the border or the subsequent procedural steps taken by the prosecutor."

"According to the information that was sent to us by the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General's Office, the prosecutor (Janeczek - edit.) was aware of these actions because he made decisions in this matter. The prosecutor's office will provide information about this," Kosiniak-Kamysz added.

Prosecutor Tomasz Janeczek, Deputy Prosecutor General for Military Affairs, in May personally took over the supervision of the investigation in which charges were brought against soldiers intervening at the Polish-Belarusian border - tvn24.pl and "Superwizjer" TVN journalist Maciej Duda has learned.

Janeczek became the Deputy Prosecutor General during the tenure of Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro.

According to Maciej Duda, the National Prosecutor's Office holds a document from Janeczek in which he informs that he is taking over the supervision of this investigation.

Maciej Duda's news was confirmed by the spokesperson of the National Prosecutor's Office, Przemysław Nowak, on the X portal. "Deputy Prosecutor General Tomasz Janeczek personally and in writing decided on May 6, 2024, to take over the superior supervision of this case," he wrote.

This contradicts Janeczek's statement published by the Ad Vocem association, connected with former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro.