WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Wednesday that his centrist political party, Civic Platform, was the victim of a cyberattack. He implied that this incident may indicate interference from Eastern powers, specifically pointing towards Russia or Belarus, as Poland prepares for its upcoming presidential election next month.
Tusk communicated the details of the cyberattack through a post on the X platform, revealing that the party's computer system had been targeted. He stated, "Foreign interference in elections begins. Services point to eastern trace," indicating his concerns regarding external influences on Poland's electoral process.
Jan Grabiec, who leads Tusk's office, further elaborated on the incident, informing the Polish state news agency PAP that the cyberattack involved an attempt to take control of computers belonging to Civic Platform employees and campaign staff. This attack reportedly occurred over the course of about a dozen hours on Wednesday.
When inquired about whether Tusk's accusations were directed specifically at Russia or Belarus, Grabiec mentioned that such determinations should be left to Poland's secret services. However, he noted that in previous instances, individuals from Belarus have successfully infiltrated Poland’s systems at the behest of Russian intelligence.
As the presidential election approaches, scheduled for May 18, 2025, Poland is on high alert for any potential interference. The leading candidate for the Civic Platform party is Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, who shares a pro-European Union stance alongside Tusk, and is currently polling at around 35 percent.
Trzaskowski's main rivals in the election include a conservative candidate, Karol Nawrocki, who is supported by the Law and Justice party and currently ranks second in polling with just over 20 percent support. Another significant contender is Slawomir Mentzen, a co-leader of the far-right Confederation party, also polling around 20 percent.
If no candidate secures an outright win with at least 50 percent of the vote during the first round on May 18, a runoff election is set to take place on June 1. This impending election is crucial for Poland, reflecting broader concerns over electoral integrity and potential foreign interference.
As the situation develops, the Polish government and security services are expected to respond accordingly to safeguard the electoral process from external threats and ensure a fair democratic procedure in the upcoming presidential election.
