Bogucki from the Chancellery of the President: We need technologies from the USA. EU SAFE will not finance this

The head of the Chancellery of the President, Zbigniew Bogucki, did not deny the future purchase of American military equipment under the presidential SAFE 0% program. If anyone observes the situation in Iran, they should have no doubt that we need American technologies, he explained.

On Tuesday, at the Presidential Palace, after the meeting of President Karol Nawrocki and the head of the NBP, Adam Glapiński, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Deputy Prime Minister, head of the Ministry of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Minister of Finance and Economy Andrzej Domański, the head of the president's office, Zbigniew Bogucki, together with the president's adviser Leszek Skiba, answered journalists' questions regarding “Polish SAFE 0 percent”.

Bogucki said that the presidential bill regarding “Polish SAFE 0%” submitted to the Sejm. assumes the creation of the Polish Defense Investment Fund (PFIO). According to him “with wise management of the reserves of the National Bank of Poland”, approximately PLN 200 billion would be allocated to the fund's needs – within 4-5 years –. He emphasized that these funds are to be secured exclusively for defense expenses and that the PFIO will manage them while maintaining the integrity of the NBP reserves.

Financing mechanism: NBP profit instead of debt

Referring to the meeting, among others: with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, emphasized that, in line with the Prime Minister's expectations, details of the proposals of the President and the President of the NBP were presented at the meeting. – The Prime Minister demanded details and today he received them, both in the legislative, legal and economic dimensions – said Bogucki.

for a solution and this proposal is consistent with the Polish constitution, it is consistent with European law, because it is also about the independence of the National Bank of Poland and its policy – said Bogucki. He also added that it is primarily consistent with the Polish security interest.

In his opinion, from Wednesday, when the Sejm session begins, the lower house can start working on the presidential project. He added that if this does not happen, “the answer will be that the political fight is more important or (…) some other issues that are not necessarily located within the borders of the Republic of Poland.”

– The Prime Minister, as the leader of the majority, as the head of the government, can cause this bill to be debated by the Sejm, and then the Senate will also debate it next week. So actually, even before the date of the president's decision (regarding the act implementing the EU SAFE program – PAP), this good act that was proposed could have been processed – he said.

Bogucki also informed that the president has not yet made a decision on the act implementing the EU SAFE program, for which he has until March 20. He added that each bill is “examined very carefully and comprehensively” by the president through the votes of advisors, and that “in this case, the voice of the military also counts.”

The president's advisor, Leszek Skiba, informed that the size of the fund, the creation of which is assumed in the bill submitted by the president, is expected to amount to PLN 185 billion in the coming years. This money – Skiba emphasized – would be interest-free because it would be paid from the NBP's profit.

The “patrons” of the fund – said Skiba – will be the president and the prime ministerand their representatives would be on the Fund Council. According to the draft law published on the president's website, the Council would be headed by the Minister of National Defense. The administrator of the funds – as in the case of the EU SAFE – would be Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.

American technological advantage or a nod to Trump?

When asked whether, in the opinion of the KPRP, the money from the fund should also be used for American military equipment, Bogucki said that American technologies “we need”.

If someone observes what happened in Venezuela, what happened in Iran, the technological advantage of the United States army, then he should have no doubt that we need American, military technologies, said Bogucki.

He emphasized that The European SAFE program does not allow for such purchasestherefore the presidential proposal is more favorable.

Fund Management (PFIO)

When asked whether the presidential program provides for money to be transferred to the newly created fund (PFIO) this year, the head of the KPRP emphasized that the act “secures the year 2026 to cover exactly the financial needs that would be covered by the European SAFE program.” – Without deciding what will happen to him, what the president's decision will be – he added.

– The mechanism would have to be different than managing reserves without depleting them by the NBP, here there would have to be a bond issue, here there would have to be a loan. This loan would only be taken out for a year and after a year as part of these operations (…) NBP would transfer these funds to the fund, and the fund would simply repay the loan, so the costs would be really minimal – he continued.

Presidential advisor Leszek Skiba, when asked about the financing of the program, added that “if anyone expected that it would be included in one of the articles (of the Act implementing SAFE 0% – PAP) that President Adam Glapiński would transfer PLN 185 billion to the fund, then of course it would be an illegal provision.” – But there is this mechanism that it describes: the profit is transferred to the fund, and President Adam Glapiński declared that he will manage these reserves in such a way that he will achieve an accounting profit and from now on, the NBP will make a profit and this profit will go to the fund – he said. (PAP)

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