Polish Politician Stripped of Awards Over Exposed Falsehood Regarding Collaboration with Soviet Intelligence

Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, has revoked state honours from politician Andrzej Malinowski, who falsely claimed he did not cooperate with the military intelligence of the communist Polish People's Republic (PRL).

This information comes from the Onet portal.

Among other distinctions, Duda has stripped Malinowski of the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

The basis for this decision was a ruling by the Warsaw-Śródmieście District Court of the first instance, which in May 2022 found Andrzej Malinowski guilty of providing false testimony about his cooperation with the military intelligence of the Polish People's Republic, where he worked as a secret collaborator under the pseudonym "Roman." Malinowski claimed that his dossier had been forged. In 2020, the investigation into this matter was terminated.

Malinowski appealed the verdict regarding false testimony, but in January 2023, his appeal was dismissed. The politician was then sentenced to a fine of 5,000 zlotys and court costs.

Andrzej Malinowski is a Polish politician and economic figure who served as a member of the Sejm during the second term. Until 2001, he was associated with the Polish People's Party. In 2001, he became the head of the organization "Employers of Poland" and held this position until 2022. He was a member of the Social Dialogue Council.

As previously reported by The Gaze, in June 2023, President Andrzej Duda signed an amendment to the law that prohibits the employment of officials and employees of the security organs of the socialist Polish People's Republic (PRL) in public service and state institutions.

The amendment imposes a ban on hiring individuals who worked in the state security agencies or were employees of these agencies from July 22, 1944, to July 31, 1990.

Former employees of the socialist PRL security structures who are still in public service or provided false information during their work will be automatically dismissed. Civil servants born before August 1, 1972, who fail to submit a declaration of previous employment within 30 days from the effective date of the amendment will also be dismissed. 

According to TVN, up to 40,000 civil servants in Poland may lose their jobs as a result.