Two of Poland‘s most senior generals, Rajmund Andrzejczak and Tomasz Piotrowski, have resigned, according to POLITICO.
Jacek Siewiera, head of the National Security Bureau, the president’s advisory body, said:
“Of course, if the generals yesterday decided to submit requests to terminate their duty, to shed their uniforms, such a decision will be accepted by the head of the armed forces.”
Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak and Piotrowski clashed after a Russian missile flew into Polish airspace in December; tourists discovered its wreckage. The incident has become a stain on the reputation of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has emphasised the state’s national security in its campaign for this Sunday’s general election.
Błaszczak put the blame on Piotrowski and demanded his resignation. Andrzejczak protested this statement. President Andrzej Duda – the official head of the armed forces – intervened in the situation as a mediator.
The Rzeczpospolita newspaper reported that due to the redeployment of the Wagner group of Russian mercenaries to the Polish border, Błaszczak sidelined Piotrowski and his operational command in the process of strengthening the defence of the Polish border.
The newspaper reported that the Operations Command had not taken part in the evacuation of Polish citizens from Israel in recent days. PiS has also been criticised for using the armed forces in its election campaign, from holding campaign-style events involving military personnel to publishing excerpts from a secret military plan drawn up under the previous government in which Polish troops retreated to the centre of the country in the event of a Russian attack.
This plan was only part of a more complex operational concept, but the ruling party used it to accuse the opposition of being willing to give up half the country to Russia. The resignations were picked up by the opposition.
Donald Tusk, head of the Civic Coalition, the leading opposition party, said 10 more military officers had resigned. He claimed:
“We need stability and security. I therefore ask all officers and generals of the Polish army to keep a cool head and maximum responsibility.”
The official social media page of the Polish general staff denied there had been resignations of senior officers.
Polish General Staff denies resignation of senior officers on social media. Szymon Hołownia, one of the leaders of the center-right Third Way grouping, called the situation in the military one of “chaos, resignations, mess, conflicts,” and added:
“What we see today is also an obvious reaction to the behavior of Minister Blaszczak, to the attempt to politicize the military.”
Włodmierz Czarzasty, one of the leaders of the Left party, called for Błaszczak’s dismissal. He told reporters.
“How dare you deceive Poles and talk about the security of Poland?”
The Defence Ministry, apart from confirming the resignation, did not give any detailed comment.
