– It is here where Allies will create the basic norms, policies, and methods of counter-intelligence operations of NATO – said Minister of National Defense Antoni Macierewicz during the formal opening of the NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence (CI COE) in Kraków.

On Thursday, October 19th, at the Headquarters of the Land Operations Center in Kraków a press conference dedicated to the formal opening of the  NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence was held. The conference was attended by Ministers of National Defense: of Poland – Antoni Macierewicz, Slovakia – Peter Gajdoš, Romania – Mihai-Viorel Fifor, and Hungary – István Simicskó.

– NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Kraków aims to expand the capabilities of the Alliance and its member nations to enhance NATO counter-intelligence and improve interoperability. It is here where Allies will create the basic norms, policies, and methods of counter-intelligence operations of NATO  in order to be able to effectively resist the penetration from our opponents – noted Minister Macierewicz.

– Penetration, which today covers all areas of life and affects not only our armies, but also affects critical infrastructure, affects our civilian life, and it is implemented through both, cybernetic tools and classical spy penetration – said the Head of MOND.

– All of this, will be opposed by the NATO states and NATO counter-intelligence services based on the norms, standards, and doctrine developed here – said minister Macierewicz.

– That is why the weight of this project and the responsibility which falls on the officers and soldiers who work here, is gigantic. The security of our armies will depend on them. The security of our countries and our nations will depend on them –  stressed Minister Antoni Macierewicz.

–  Thank you for the invitation to the grand opening of the NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence. I also want to stress that during our last meeting a lot of negative information appeared. I would like to say that they were not true – said Minister of Defence of Slovakia Peter Gajdoš.

–  The Center is able to train, instruct but also to prepare expert reports on the activities of counter-intelligence. It is a result of cooperation, not only within NATO but also of our fraternal nations – Slovakia and Poland – stressed Minister Peter Gajdoš.

– I’m glad that I can be here today, with you. For us, undoubtedly, it is a very important day, because at last, we could open a Center that would give security to our countries, our nations and all the Alliance. We, defence ministers, are responsible for security, but not only for identifying the threat, but also for the fight against it. Among others, this is the main purpose of the NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence – said Hungarian Minister of National Defence Istvan Simicsko during a press conference.

Speaking about the tasks of the NATO CI COE Romanian Defense Minister Mihai-Viorel Fifor said: – This Center is designed to work out a certain unity in the exercise and joint training of officers responsible for military counterintelligence. As I said, our country has delegated representatives to participate in courses, seminars, and other activities of the Center, so that they can continue to train and develop. The NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Cracow, as well as the Center in Romania, will provide experience, expertise and it will train other experts to carry out their mission. Once again, I would like to emphasize that it is a great honor for me to be here today. I would like to thank and congratulate the Minister of National Defence of Poland Antoni Macierewicz and the Minister of National Defence of Slovakia Peter Gajdoš for the well-executed piece of work.

– It is a great day for Poland and Slovakia, but also for NATO. (…) From the NATO point of view, the Counter-Intelligence Center of Excellence in Kraków will be a catalyst for NATO capabilities. Also, our overarching goal is to eliminate all the negative effects and all activity of foreign interviews. Above this, we also want to raise our own capacity in this area. The Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Cracow plays an extremely important role, but it also fills the existing gap. I would therefore like to thank the Minister of National Defence of Poland and Minister of National Defence of Slovakia for the designation of Cracow and the Slovak – Lešť, so that the counter-intelligence capabilities can develop here. Thank you for your commitment. And once again I thank the Minister of National Defence of Poland and Minister of National Defence of Slovakia for having succeeded – added at the end Admiral M. Nielson, NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.

Photo: LT Robert Suchy
Source: http://www.mon.gov.pl/