2024-12-16 14:50 update: 2024-12-16, 14:51
Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara
Potential interference in the 2023 general election by foreign intelligence through a campaign spreading misinformation will be investigated by secret services, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said.
"Having learned from the experience of the last few years in Poland and other countries in Europe, we will not allow for foreign interference in our elections," Tusk wrote on the X platform on Monday.
Earlier in the day, the Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported on an investigation conducted by the National Prosecutor’s Office (PK) and the Internal Security Agency (ABW) into the misinformation campaign carried out by hackers presumably on behalf of foreign intelligence during the October 15 parliamentary election. According to the paper, the hackers sent 187,000 text messages containing political propaganda calling on people to vote for the nationalist-leaning Law and Justice (PiS) party and intended to send 600,000 more. They also took control of screens in 20 shopping malls all over the country to broadcast photos of PiS politicians along with catchy slogans promising free funerals for pensioners and defence against "threats from Moscow, Berlin and Brussels."
"The case will be taken up by the College for Special Services (an advisory body in matters of coordinating the activities of special services - PAP)," Tusk added. (PAP)
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