The Polish Sejm has approved an agreement with Ukraine on cooperation in the fight against crime

On Friday, the lower house of the Polish parliament passed a law ratifying an agreement with Ukraine on cooperation in the field of crime prevention and combating crime.

According to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, 242 deputies voted in favor of the decision, 10 voted against, and 185 abstained.

The document provides for expanded cooperation between Ukraine and Poland in the prevention, detection, and investigation of crimes, as well as in bringing perpetrators to justice. Particular emphasis is placed on cooperation in the search for missing persons and those hiding from law enforcement agencies.

According to Poland’s Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński, the agreement establishes modern legal mechanisms, particularly for countering sabotage and subversion.

“These are modern tools that allow us to respond more effectively to new threats,” he noted.

The new agreement is intended to replace the existing treaty between the countries from 1999.

The Polish Ministry of the Interior emphasizes that the update to the agreements is driven by modern security challenges. Deputy Minister Czesław Mrótek reported that the negotiations were lengthy and concluded with the signing of a document that meets current needs.

The agreement provides for the exchange of information between competent authorities, the conduct of joint operations, the creation of working groups, and cooperation in training personnel. It also covers the use of modern operational tools, including controlled deliveries of prohibited materials and the possibility of exchanging liaison officers.

The document regulates the activities of law enforcement officers from one state on the territory of another, as well as the mechanisms for the transfer of persons and the conduct of joint operations. Cooperation will be carried out upon requests from competent authorities on a reciprocal basis, with the possibility of refusing to provide information in certain cases.

The law will enter into force 14 days after its official publication. It will then be considered by the Polish Senate.