EU's Tusk in Warsaw as witness in spy case

Image
AFP Warsaw
Last Updated : Apr 19 2017 | 1:42 PM IST
EU president Donald Tusk heads to Warsaw today to testify before prosecutors in an investigation into two former military counterintelligence chiefs.
The former Polish prime minister tweeted earlier this month that he would attend: "(April) 16 - holidays at home, 19 - prosecutor's office in Warsaw, 22 - my 60th (!) birthday. What a marathon. See you on the road :)"
Tusk had been summoned for the closed-door questioning in March but was unable to appear due to a previous commitment at the European Parliament.
The probe centres on Generals Janusz Nosek and Piotr Pytel who are suspected of having "overstepped their duties by collaborating with services of a foreign state" without authorisation.
According to Polish media reports, at issue is an agreement struck with Russia's FSB intelligence service -- the successor to the KGB -- shortly after a 2010 air disaster in Russia which killed then Polish president Lech Kaczynski and scores of senior Polish statesmen.
Tusk was prime minister at the time.
Some reports suggest the agreement was aimed at cooperating on the withdrawal of Polish troops from NATO operations in Afghanistan at the time, while others say it allowed FSB agents to visit Polish SKW military counterintelligence headquarters unfettered.
The original summons came days after EU leaders gave Donald Tusk another term as president despite strong opposition from Poland.
An angry Warsaw accused the EU of "cheating".
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the powerful head of Poland's governing rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) party, has accused political arch-rival Tusk of "moral responsibility" for the death of his brother Lech in the air crash in Russia.
Before boarding his train to Warsaw today, Tusk told reporters that regarding the day's questioning "I have no doubt that this is part of a political witch-hunt."
Tusk's supporters said they would greet him when he arrives, writing on Facebook: "Varsovians, let's show Donald Tusk our support and let's welcome him at the train station.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 19 2017 | 1:42 PM IST

Next Story