Poland’s top army generals resigns prior to crucial elections

Poland’s top military leaders have stepped down right before an important election and while the war in Ukraine is happening nearby.

The top military leaders, General Rajmund Andrzejczak and General Tomasz Piotrowski, did not explain why they made their decision.

According to the news, people are concerned that the right-wing government is trying to use the military for political purposes before the upcoming general elections on Sunday.

The government says the claim is not true.

It also denies claims from Poland’s opposing party and the European Union that it is using the country’s courts for political gain and restricting media rights.

General Rajmund Andrzejczak has handed in his resignation. His spokesperson, Col Joanna Klejszmit, informed the AFP news agency that this happened on Monday.

“She said that he has the right to quit his job without explaining why, just like any other soldier. ”

Gen Piotrowski also quit his job.

Poland’s popular newspaper, The Daily Rzeczpospolita, said that two military leaders were arguing with Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. They disagreed about how politics were influencing the military, and there was also a dispute over a Russian missile that flew over Poland last year.

In May, Mr Blaszczak mentioned that Gen Piotrowski did not tell him in December that the missile entered Poland from Belarus and flew a long way before crashing in a forest.

The missile was found in April by someone who is not part of the government, which made the minister feel very embarrassed.

Mr Blaszczak and the two generals have not said anything publicly about the Rzeczpospolita report.

On Sunday, people in Poland will be voting in a very important election, according to opposition leader Donald Tusk. He says it is their most important election since 1989 when communism ended.

The United Right coalition, which is led by the Law and Justice party under the leadership of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is trying to stay in power for a third time.

However, the difference between the right and centre has become smaller after a very bitter election campaign.

Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s big invasion started in February 2022. They have taken in over a million Ukrainian refugees and given Kyiv weapons worth more than $3 billion.

However, the campaign against a Polish ban on Ukrainian grain imports has caused strain in the relationship.