Under the pretext of fighting Russian misinformation, will the authorities want to influence the electoral process in Poland? "Russian peculiar services with full premeditation, but besides with operational plans, wanted and intend to influence the Polish presidential campaign," argued Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, presenting the "Parasol Wyborczy" election protection program.
During the conference, Deputy Prime Minister, head of MC Krzysztof Gawkowski stressed that already a fewer weeks ago, together with Minister of the SWI Tomasz Siemoniak, they diagnosed that "we are dealing with organised actions, provocations, but besides with initiatives that would destabilise the election situation in Poland".
That influence was clearly addressed. These are Russian peculiar services – and those civilian and military, which with full premeditation, but besides with operational plans – wanted and intend to influence the Polish presidential campaign
“ He said.
Gawkowski scares
He added that state services are getting information that the Russian side is besides looking for people who would want to influence an election run from within.
Gawkowski said that, among another things, a program of protecting elections in cyberspace and protection against misinformation was being created.
The election protection programme called "Parasol Electoral" is the answer to the fact that present the state is on the side of democracy, the system, wants to defend the constitution and the electoral process
- He did.
What does the program set up?
Gawkowski assured that the portal of safe elections.pl will be "reinforced".
The Minister stated that the program will carry out free scanning of cybersecurity domains, and information on the password leak will be provided.
We will want to include all social networking platforms in the fight against disinformation. I mean, network traffic is to be monitored in specified a way that it cannot be affected from abroad.
“Gawkowski said.
He informed that the portal of safe elections would be allocated PLN 4 million, additional backing will besides be directed towards training and conducting information procedures for election committees.
The full process, concerning the safe electoral umbrella, is – only in this information section – respective million PLN
“The head of MC added.
He informed that the programme would start operating on 2 February and be linked to the activities of the interior safety Agency.
Semoniak spoke
The head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs pointed out that disinformation campaigns are “a virus, a illness that is moving the information space”. He added that "all over the world, misinformation spreads incredibly quickly, has an impact on how the public responds to various issues."
He announced various actions and in this context highlighted the study of the committee on the examination of Russian and Belarusian influences in Poland, which prepared, as he said, "very solid material". He added that the conclusions of the study would be implemented.
We are planning... to make an global squad that will fight misinformation
He announced. He pointed out "the tremendous function of the Ministry of abroad Affairs, due to the fact that disinformation is born abroad, it affects the image of Poland and besides what citizens of another countries or Polish citizens may think about various matters".
Siemoniak said that the publically known information from fresh years about interfering in electoral processes in various ways "is besides strong a signal for all democratic states, governments and societies to decision on to the agenda."
We gotta presume that those who want badly in Poland want to influence electoral processes in Poland
“He added. Hence, he added, "the setting up of an electoral umbrella over the electoral process".
It is our work (...) to make all Polish voter feel that it is his will and will of another Polish voters to decide who will be elected president this year
“ He said.
PiS reaction
The case was addressed on Tuesday at a press conference by PiS politicians Przemysław Czarnek and Adam Andrushkiewicz and organization spokesperson Rafał Bochenek.
Czarnek reported he had a message for Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski and the full government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk".
You're late, Prime Minister Gawkowski. We, as the Election Staff of Karol Nawrocki and as the Election Protection and Election Control Movement, already have specified a digital device full secured. We'll be moving them soon.
“He said.
We have created a digital platform, modern, IT, very developed, and there has not yet been 1 that will defend elections
“Czarnek said. He assured that everything is ready, is legal and will be reported to the respective offices.
We will have all the information about the members of the regional electoral commission reported by the Election Committee of voters of Karol Nawrocki. We will have information on the men of trust of the election committee of the electors of Karol Nawrocki in all the regional electoral commissions, information on certain irregularities to be reported on this digital platform
“Czarnek announced.
We will besides have information on the course, the conclusion of the vote and the summary of the vote, the number of votes
“He added.
Bochenek noted that the proposal tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski coincided with the election campaign.
I have the impression, in the context of the ongoing presidential run of Rafał Trzaskowski, that if it does not go, it does not go and should be diverted from what is actually happening
“The PiS spokesperson said. As he added, this is how he treats Gawkowski's announcement.
They see that Rafał Trzaskowski's run clearly does not go to the PO Vice-President, the ratings are dropping overnight. Therefore, they are already preparing any kind of valve, looking for reasons to have the solutions prepared, which will let them to cancel these elections if possible
said Bochenek.
As he said, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that he had information that the Russian services of the GRU were expected to recruit Polish citizens for disinformation for money, which would “be the basis for going further and consistently implement this harmful bill allowing single-person erasure of content on the Internet”.
It's a blow to freedom of speech, which is the basis for social media.
“Bochenek said. In his opinion, if the Deputy Prime Minister had information about the activities of the GRU, he should not transmit them to the media, but inform the Commission for peculiar Services.
In the opinion of the PiS spokesman, the proposal of Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski means that “the current authorities are preparing a Romanian variant in Poland”.
We all remember what it looked like in Romania. It was first said that Russia was interfering, and after a fewer days it turned out that it was not Russia that I asked you to interfere, but Mr Gawkowski's colleagues from the European People's organization were expected to inspire accounts that were expected to pretend to be Russian accounts in order to discredit the candidate who was actually going to win these elections, which led to the annulment of the elections in Romania.
He stressed.
As he said, Gawkowski's proposal "is a blow to freedom of speech, which is the basis for the functioning of social media".
Andrushkiewicz besides pointed out that we are at the phase of the election campaign, which is besides taking place online.
We receive this (Gawkowski-PAP proposal) as a preparation and announcement that during the election run the ruling coalition will want to introduce elements of preventive censorship on the Internet
He said.
ace/PAP
