“A veto would be an embarrassment.” Sikorski harshly about the president and the fight for billions with SAFE

President Karol Nawrocki's veto on the bill on Poland's accession to the EU SAFE program would be an embarrassment; the commander of the armed forces should strive for the modernization of the Polish Army, and not interfere with it, said the deputy prime minister and head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, on Monday.

Sikorski took part in a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. He commented there, among others: reports that President Nawrocki could veto the act on Poland's accession to the EU SAFE program. – This would be giving in to pressure from Nowogrod, and not fulfilling his constitutional obligation, which is the role of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and taking care of the modern Polish army. This would be a shocking betrayal of (the president's) constitutional role, he said.

Sikorski continued his criticism of the president in Lublin, after returning from Brussels. Answering journalists' questions, he admitted that the lack of a coherent voice of the government and the president in terms of foreign policy was a certain problem. – We created the problem for ourselves with the constitution adopted almost 30 years ago, which divided the executive power and the fact that the president makes statements that have not been agreed with the government – said the head of Polish diplomacy.

– As for the SAFE mechanism – yes, I believe that the president's veto in this matter would be an embarrassment – Sikorski said.

In the opinion of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the commander of the armed forces should strive for the modernization of the Polish Army and not prevent the government from taking action in this area. – If the previous government could take out a loan abroad for tanks at twice the interest rate and this was the height of patriotism, why is a loan half the price – and not for the purchase of foreign equipment, but for the modernization of the Polish defense industry in Polish plants – so suspicious for today's opposition? – Sikorski asked.

He added that, in his opinion, the opposition criticizes the SAFE program because it does not want to admit that “the government did something right” and “Poland benefits from membership in the European Union.”

The SAFE Instrument is a program that aims to strengthen the defense of EU Member States; provides for a total of EUR 150 billion of support in the form of, among others: low-interest loans, primarily for the purchase of military equipment, especially those produced in Europe. At the end of January, the European Commission accepted the Polish plan under SAFE. Poland applied for funding for 139 projects worth EUR 43.7 billion.

SAFE is intended to support EU countries in strengthening their defense potential. It was established in 2025 in the face of a growing threat from Russia and uncertainty around the United States' continued involvement in Europe. The program also aims to reduce dependence on US weapons and strengthen the defense industries of EU countries. For this reason, SAFE allows purchases in third countries only to a limited extent. The cost of components produced in countries involved in SAFE must be at least 65%.

The government's plenipotentiary for the SAFE program, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, said on Monday in Brussels that the Polish government still plans to sign a loan agreement regarding the SAFE program in the second half of March.

In its application for money from SAFE, the Polish Ministry of National Defense included a total of 139 projects for the implementation of which the money is to be allocated. Although this list is not yet public, it is known that it will include the most important products of the Polish defense industry, such as Piorun anti-aircraft launchers, Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles and Krab howitzers; The plans also include, among others: purchase of air tankers manufactured by the European concern Airbus.

On Thursday, the Senate adopted, with amendments, an act implementing the EU's SAFE armament program; it assumes the creation of a Financial Instrument for Enhancing Security (FIZB) managed by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, through which the government will be able to use money from SAFE. The Sejm will vote on the Senate's amendments this week. Then the bill will go to the president's desk. (PAP)

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