Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on Tuesday the establishment of a legal aid office that would support soldiers, Border Guard officers and police officers. What would the lawyers protect the soldiers from? From the accusations of the far-left prosecution team created in April by Justice Minister Adam Bodnar.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Kosiniak-Kamysz (Third Way, PSL) emphasized that all cases involving the alleged unlawful use of weapons by soldiers had been reviewed. As he pointed out, four proceedings have been initiated — one in November 2023 and the other three this year.
“In only one case, described in the Onet article (when military police arrested three soldiers), did it end with charges being pursued,” he noted.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the government wants not only to change the regulations regarding the use of weapons but also plans to establish a legal aid office that would serve the Polish Army soldiers, Border Guard officers, and police officers.
“To ensure that safe and free legal assistance reaches everyone,” said the head of Poland’s Ministry of Defense. The office would help in every case, but especially in those involving the use of weapons by officers.
To complete the circle of action, however, there must be someone who formulates such accusations against the soldiers. Hence, already in April, Minister Adam Bodnar (Civic Platform) formed a special team of prosecutors to prosecute soldiers and Border Guard officers.
So, one arm of the government digs the holes and the other one wants to fill them.
“Kosiniak-Kamysz and Bodnar have created a perpetual motion machine! One appoints a special team of prosecutors to prosecute soldiers and Border Guard officers, and the other creates a legal aid office that will defend them. Why not just let them work?” wrote Radosław Fogiel from the Law and Justice (PiS) party on X.
Last week, tensions at the Belarus-Poland border worsened significantly following the death of private Mateusz Sitek from the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade. Private Sitek succumbed to injuries several days after being stabbed in the chest by a migrant during his border duty.
Earlier, military police arrested three soldiers of the Polish Army at the Polish-Belarusian border. These arrests occurred at the end of March and into April after the soldiers discharged warning shots at migrants. Subsequently, two of these soldiers were formally accused by the prosecutor’s office of abuse of power and putting lives at risk.
