Assassination attempt on Polish PM, defence minister? Security services hold emergency meeting after police flags possible attack

Polish security services held an emergency meeting on Sunday (Oct 11) after police received information about a potential assassination attempt on the country’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the interior ministry spokesperson said in a statement. The warning prompted an urgent response from authorities, with police, the State Protection Service (SOP) and the Internal Security Agency involved in a meeting to assess the information.

‘Strong likelihood’ threats could be carried out

Interior ministry spokeswoman Karolina Galecka said a report concerning the potential threats had reached the police through the State Protection Service.

“A report about a potential assassination attempt on Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as well as on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, was transmitted to the police via the State Protection Service (SOP),” Galecka said at a press briefing.

Earlier on Sunday, she said authorities had been instructed to act on information received by police about a possible attack on the two senior officials.

The government said the matter was being treated with urgency. Jacek Dobrzynski, spokesperson for the minister-coordinator of special services, told journalists: “We are treating this matter as deadly serious.”

He warned that threats against Poland and its citizens had been increasing.

“Month by month, year by year, more and more various threats and menacing messages reach the police, SOP, and the services concerning Poland and Poles,” he said.

“In this case we are talking about a strong likelihood that these threats could actually be carried out,” Dobrzynski added.

Poland on alert after violent incidents

The investigation comes as Poland remains on heightened alert following several stabbing attacks over the past week.

Tusk condemned the violence on Thursday, describing it as a “cult of violence”. Poland is a member of both NATO and the European Union.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed details of the suspected plots or identified any potential perpetrators.