‘Insinuations contained in the media message of the committee, quoted above, should be read as unauthorised, not based on facts, violating the foundations of the functioning of the ABW – which reconciles with the safety grounds of the Polish Republic", wrote erstwhile Head of the interior safety Agency Piotr Pogonowski in a statement. In his statement, he referred to media reports concerning the submission by the Commission for the examination of Russian and Belarusian influences in Poland of a announcement on the anticipation of a breach of law and public interest in the above-mentioned "eliminating" of ABW field delegations in 2017.
Pogonowski stresses that at the time of taking up the function of Head of the ABW in 2015, he commissioned “subordinate officers to conduct an audit of the Agency’s operation”.
One of the teams composed of experienced ABW Officers (under the direction of the Deputy Head of ABW with more than 20 years of service) was active in, among others, the evaluation of the ABW organisational structure in the context of improving the effectiveness of the Agency's activities in key areas due to a map of threats, including: combating the activities of abroad intelligence, terrorism, extremism
“ he explains.
As a consequence of analyses carried out by the squad of experienced Officers, an assessment was developed, which identified, among others, an overly extended network of ABW organisational units in the field (delegations), which, among others, duplicated posts for administrative, logistical and personnel services, which could be carried out from the position of ABW office or larger territorial units (management centres)
— read further.
At the same time, it was recommended to shift administrative, logistical, human resources to operational posts in the ABW field units to increase efficiency – the level of implementation of key activities of the ABW, including: combating abroad intelligence, terrorism, extremism
“ Pogonowski explains.
B. Head of the ABW then points out what actions recommended by the said Team, he recommended to the then Prime Minister Beacie Szydło.
Based on the above, recommended by the squad of experienced experts, the conditions, i.e. adjusting the terrain structure of the ABW to real threats, as well as strengthening the ABW's operational structure, as Head of the ABW, I decided to urge the president of the RM – Mrs.Beata Szydło – changes in the statutes and rules of the ABW, under which:
- the name of certain ABW organisational units in the field has been changed from ‘delegation’ to ‘off-site department’;
-enhanced operational posts of the Agency – moving administratively, logistically, personnel to the ABW office and 5 major management structures centres – Delegations;
-has been reinforced by staff, equipped with equipment and carried out the essential investments to improve the quality and efficiency of the implementation of the ABW tasks across the country.
Therefore, it is not actual that ABW units liable for the implementation of key tasks for the safety of the Polish Republic have been liquidated – only their name has been changed (from ‘delegation’ to ‘out-of-town branch of the delegation’), focusing their activities on (mostly) operating in key areas for the safety of the Polish Republic.
“It is not actual that the changes made are not preceded by an analysis of their impact on national security”.
This analysis was carried out by a squad of experienced experts and was verified in subsequent years
“ He points out.
It is so not correct to insinuate that strengthening of ABW's operating units could be a threat to State security.
Poland was safe in 2017 – 2023, besides due to the fact that ABW was able to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its tasks. 1 component of this hard process, apart from investing in people and equipment, was besides the adaptation of the ABW organisational structure to the actual, current threat map.
Insinuations contained in the media message of the committee, cited above, should be read as unauthorised, non-factual, which undermines the fundamentals of the functioning of the ABW – which reconciles with the safety grounds of the Polish Republic
— finished.
