Verification procedures in the light of the law on the protection of classified Information as a threat to the independence of the Supreme Audit Office and the political security of the state

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of independence from the executive power of the bodies controlling its public activities. One of the institutions through which citizens and their representatives in the legislature can obtain knowledge about the state of the government is the Supreme Audit Office. The leading research problem faced was an attempt to find an answer to the question of whether and to what extent the SAO can remain impartial in its activities due to the need to comply with the law on the protection of classified information. Particular attention was focused on related issues of threats to limit the independence of the chamber's staff due to the need to undergo security clearances carried out by the Internal Security Agency, which is subordinate to the executive branch. The latter is reciprocally subject to SAO's screening activities. The author proves in the article that the indicated controversies in this matter are a consequence of legislative shortcomings convenient for those in power, which make it possible, in a manner that is practically invisible to the public, to limit its access to objective information on their activities in the sphere of state security and public order, thus influencing the cyclical management decisions taken by it during elections. In conclusion, it was suggested that to avoid the indicated threats to the democratic state of the law in the spaces protected by the classified information act, appropriate legislative changes should be considered. One of them would be the possibility for the SAO to carry out internal investigations and control investigations in the case of access to information with the highest clauses, 'secret' and 'top secret', excluding its management, which could be subject to the decisions of the Presidium of the Sejm in this regard. The prolonged maintenance of the current arrangements could have adverse consequences for the security of the state and its public order in the future.