Intelligence rethink

Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński has appointed the controversial politician Antoni Macierewicz as Deputy Defense Minister. He will also oversee the liquidation of the Military Intelligence Services (WSI).

Opposition parties were not happy with the choice of Macierewicz and Defense Minister Radosław Sikorski also had his reservations. "Some people say that cooperating with him is an extreme sport," Sikorski said.

The WSI will cease to exist on September 30, and October 1 will see the creation of two separate civil services: intelligence (SWW) and counterintelligence (SKW). They will employ 1,200 people, 600 less than WSI. Former WSI officers who would like to work in the new services will be verified by a special commission headed by Macierewicz. He will also supervise the creation of the counterintelligence unit, while the current head of WSI, General Jan Żukowski, will be responsible for setting up the new intelligence section.

WSI was created in 1990, based on the former communist military intelligence. Since its officers have never been verified, it is suspected that there are several Russian agents in WSI's ranks. Moreover, WSI has also been suspected of participating in economic scandals and illegal gun trade.

The liquidation of WSI was one of the main campaign touchstones of Law and Justice. The Democratic Left Alliance, the only party which voted against the liquidation, champions the WSI and has sent the bill to the Constitutional Tribunal.