Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, PSL MP and Deputy Minister of abroad Affairs, has no safety clearance of the ABW – confirmed the Ministry of abroad Affairs.
Meanwhile, the court has incorrectly ruled that the politician should return PLN 27 million for taking over the property of his godfather, the well-known patron of art Andrzej Ciechanowski – reports “Gazeta Wyborcza”.
Bartoszewski was appointed Vice-President of the Ministry of abroad Affairs in December 2023, despite not having the required safety certificate. In accordance with the Act on the Protection of Classified Information of 2010, persons performing specified functions should be subject to control, inter alia, in terms of financial problems, addictions or links with abroad services. The Ministry of abroad Affairs explains that as Mr Bartoszewski has access to papers labelled ‘secret’ and, in the case of ‘closely secret’ materials, can get one-off access to them with the consent of the supervisor.
As part of its function, it is liable for cooperation with the Sejm and the Senate, the current coordination of parliamentary matters, the signing of government positions prepared by the ministry for non-governmental draft laws, the representation of the minister during the work on the budget bill, as well as the coordination of policy towards Asia and relations with the judaic diaspora.
In 1980 he received his master's degree in anthropology and past at the University of Warsaw, and in June that same year he went to the UK. In 1984, he defended his PhD in cultural anthropology at Cambridge University. Since then, he has been active with the British technological and political community. He besides holds British citizenship. In 1985 he taught semiotics at Cambridge University. From 1985 to 1989, he was an independent academic at St Antony’s College, Oxford University. From 1986 to 2000, he taught classes in modern past and politics at Wadham College, Oxford, and from 1988 besides at woman Margaret Hall. From 1989 to 2000, he taught judaic past at London University, working with external students.
On 13 January this year, Bartoszewski caused a stir about the situation in Gaza:
– The victims are not in Palestine, they are in Gaza, due to the fact that there is no specified thing as Palestine.
These words came from the Vice-President of the Ministry of abroad Affairs, even though Poland has recognized the Palestinian State since 1988. Diplomatic relations with the Palestine Liberation Organisation were established in 1982, and following the declaration of independency by the Palestinians, the Polish government recognized the fresh state, transforming the OWP Delegation into the Embassy of Palestine.
For many diplomats and commentators, what Bartoszewski said was a clear denial of the current abroad policy of Poland.
PLN 27 million to be returned
But this is not the end of trouble. Bartoszewski was sued for unlawful acquisition of his godfather's estate. 3 apartments, works of art and a million British pounds are involved. In 2024, the court of first instance ordered him to return PLN 13 million – with interest this sum rises to 27 million.
The National Prosecutor's Office examines whether Bartoszewski tried to dispose of the assets in order to avoid repayment of liabilities to creditors.
Uncomfortable questions and political tensions
The Ministry ensures that the appointment of Bartoszewski had no legal basis to reject it, as the judgement is not final and the case is civil. However, there are no shortages of critical voices – both among the politicians of the governing coalition and the opinion-making circles.
– How is it possible that a individual with specified baggage of charges becomes a deputy head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs? It's a slap for coalition voters on October 15 – said the interviewer “Gazeta Wyborcza”.
It is unofficially said that Bartoszewski – like another deputy minister Andrzej Szejna, besides without the confirmation of the ABW – may lose his position in the next reconstruction of the government.
