Prime Minister says security chief Barcikowski stays - for the time being

According to Gazeta Wyborcza Prime Minister Marek Belka intended to sack Andrzej Barcikowski, a head of the Internal Security Agency (ABW), who is considered to be his predecessor Leszek Miller's man. However, he was prevented from doing so by the poliical turmoil caused by his nomination of Andrzej Ananicz, who is connected with the right wing of the political scene, as head of the Intelligence Agency. Ananicz's nomination has infuriated some Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) politicians because the SLD parliamentary club was not consulted. Belka therefore decided to keep Barcikowski on the post but plans to replace his deputy, General Paweł Pruszyński, a former officer of communist security service and SLD member, with Major Jacek Mąka who joined the Agency after 1990. However, when asked in a radio interview who will be the head of ABW, Belka said: "As for now it is Andrzej Barcikowski. As for now." (Gazeta Wyborcza, p.4) E.B.