PiS government allowed Russian citizens to enter the EU even after the Ukraine war
The Internal Security Agency (ABW) warned the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jarosław Kaczyński about flaws in the visa issuance system for Russian citizens. These warnings were ignored, resulting in irregularities and security concerns during the previous PiS government, according to Tuesday’s „Gazeta Wyborcza”.
PiS leader J. Kaczyński at a meeting of the parliamentary investigative committee on the visa scandal. „Gazeta Wyborcza” revealed that the PiS government allowed Russian citizens to enter the EU even after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.(doro) PAP/Leszek Szymański
Yesterday, Radio Poland revealed that „Gazeta Wyborcza” published findings from a Supreme Audit Office (NIK) report indicating that under the Law and Justice (PiS) government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs operated a non-transparent and corruption-prone system. This allowed the ministry’s leaders to influence certain consuls. Consequently, Poland issued more entry permits to the Schengen area than any other EU country in 2021 and 2022.
Today, „Gazeta Wyborcza” disclosed that the Internal Security Agency (ABW) had warned the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jarosław Kaczyński that the visa issuance system for Russian citizens was flawed, but these suggestions were ignored.
The intelligence agencies informed the PiS government about the „increased migration of citizens of the Russian Federation” and warned of associated security threats. Even after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Russians were still permitted entry into the country.
Warnings ignored: flaws in Poland’s visa system
In the NIK document, which the newspaper cites again, it was emphasized that after March 1, 2022, despite the introduction of visa restrictions for Russians, visas continued to be issued to them under the Poland Business Harbour program.
By the end of 2022, during the year and a half since the outbreak of the war, 1,838 visas were granted to Russian citizens. The newspaper notes that these actions were shocking, especially considering that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed consuls about visa restrictions for Russians.
NIK described such actions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as irregularities for which the directors of the consular department, as well as the deputy ministers and ministers of foreign affairs, are responsible.
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Source: „Gazeta Wyborcza”/IAR/NIK/ABW
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