2026-03-04 16:54
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2026-03-04 16:54
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that he had decided to use military aircraft to support the evacuation of Poles from the Middle East. An application in this matter has already been sent to the president, the head of government said on X. Earlier, the head of the Ministry of National Defense announced the readiness of the army to medically evacuate Poles.
Tusk announced his decision in a post on X on Wednesday afternoon. Earlier in the day, at a press briefing, Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Ministry of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, announced that he had reported the readiness of the forces and resources of the Polish Army to evacuate Poles in need of medical assistance in the Middle East. He emphasized that the evacuation of remaining citizens is carried out by civilian transport.
“I have decided to use aircraft at the disposal of the Armed Forces to support the evacuation of Poles from the Middle East. An appropriate request in this matter has already been sent to the president,” Tusk wrote. According to the regulations, the president decides on the use of the army outside the country's borders, by issuing a decision, at the request of the government.
President Karol Nawrocki said on Wednesday that he would support Prime Minister Donald Tusk's request to use Polish Armed Forces aircraft to help evacuate Poles from the Persian Gulf region.
Prime Minister Donald Tuska announced on Wednesday that he had decided to use military aircraft to support the evacuation of Poles from the Middle East. As he then emphasized, the application in this matter was sent to President Karol Nawrocki. Earlier, the head of the Ministry of National Defense announced the readiness of the army to medically evacuate Poles.
When asked about this during Wednesday's press conference after the meeting with the President of the National Bank of Poland, Adam Glapiński, Nawrocki emphasized that he would support the Prime Minister's proposal. – I am glad that the Prime Minister has finally given his consent to the use of Polish aircraft from the Polish armed forces to help Poles who remain in the Persian Gulf region – he said. He added that he received information that he would receive such a request on Tuesday evening from the head of the National Security Bureau, Sławomir Cenckiewicz.
– I have been waiting for such a letter and I think there is no doubt that I will obviously support such a letter or such a motion – Nawrocki emphasized.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said earlier on Wednesday that the evacuation organized by the army will concern those who need medical help and “whose health and life are simply at risk due to their health condition.” – I received another report from the operational commander, General Maciej Klisz, and the general commander, General Marek Sokołowski, about their full readiness to support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in activities related to securing our compatriots who are in the Middle East, he said.
When asked for details, he said that the military transport would depart when appropriate procedures were carried out and the possibility of flight was ensured. – Safety assessment comes first – added the Deputy Prime Minister. The head of the Ministry of National Defense indicated that the evacuation of remaining citizens was carried out by means of civilian transport. – They are used on the one hand by travel agencies, and on the other by the Polish Tourist Organization and LOT – he noted.
Tusk announced earlier on Wednesday that a plane sent for Poles requiring medical assistance was to land in Oman within a dozen or so hours. Minister of Sport and Tourism Jakub Rutnicki said that since Tuesday, 574 Polish citizens have returned to Poland from the Middle East.
In recent years, Polish aviation has been involved in the evacuation of citizens from Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023; Hercules and CASA military transports from the air bases in Kraków and Powidz created an air corridor between Tel Aviv and Greek Crete; from the island, Polish citizens were transported to Poland by civilian planes; In total, over a thousand people were evacuated, including Poles and citizens of other countries in our region.
The army also took part in the evacuation of Afghanistan in August 2021 – transport aircraft then flew between Kabul and Navoi in Uzbekistan, evacuating approximately 1,300 Poles and their collaborators from Afghanistan.
On Saturday, February 28, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. In retaliation, Tehran launched attacks, including: on American bases in the region, as a result of which many airlines canceled their flights. The Prime Minister announced on Tuesday that he had commissioned the Minister of Sport and Tourism to coordinate the work of the team established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the situation of Poles in Middle Eastern countries. The team includes representatives of various ministries. On Wednesday morning, the team, including the head of government, met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (PAP)
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