New police chief for Poland
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
13.04.2016 11:54
The Polish authorities on Wednesday named a new national police chief, a key appointment as the country gets ready to step up security for a NATO summit and World Youth Day in July.
Jarosław Szymczyk. Photo: PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski
Interior Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said the post was being taken up by Jarosław Szymczyk, the head of police in the southern Silesian region.
Błaszczak said that Szymczyk “guarantees that his duties will be performed well, and our task - the ministry and the police - is to ensure security for the citizens of our country.”
A NATO summit is to take place 8-9 July at the National Stadium in Warsaw, bringing together some 2,500 delegates, including heads of state and government, EU and United Nations leaders.
The Roman Catholic Church’s World Youth Day takes place from 25 July to 31 July, with millions of pilgrims expected to flock to Poland. Pope Francis is to attend the event.
Poland’s previous national police commander, Zbigniew Maj, quit in February, after less than two months in the job, claiming former police officers were putting together a sting operation to discredit him. Maj has been investigated in a corruption probe.
The Polish police answer to the interior ministry, which had been criticised by the opposition for allowing Maj to be appointed even though he was being investigated. (pk)
Source: PAP