Billions for Poland without affecting the deficit? Tusk has a clever plan for the SAFE loan
2026-04-24 14:41
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2026-04-24 14:41
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday after an informal meeting of EU leaders in Cyprus that he had talked on the sidelines with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, among others. about Polish SAFE and KPO. He admitted that the presidential veto hinders the implementation of some reforms.
The Prime Minister, who spoke to journalists on the plane just before leaving Cyprus, announced that he had received an assurance from the head of the European Commission and her team that they will do everything to take into account the “Polish idea” for spending the loan. The government's proposal assumes that the SAFE loan will be taken out by BGK for the Armed Forces Support Fund. – The point is that this loan does not affect the financial deficit in Poland – emphasized the Prime Minister, adding that “he is sure that the Polish proposal will be accepted.”
Tusk added that the behind-the-scenes talks with von der Leyen also concerned some elements of the KPO. – We don't want to waste any money, especially the grant money. (…) We would like to use 100% of everything included in the grant, he assured.
The Prime Minister added that he had the impression that the EC showed understanding for “Polish circumstances”. – For example, when it comes to the problem of changing the law. We have a presidential veto on our necks, which makes the implementation of some reforms very difficult, Tusk said.
In mid-March, President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the act implementing SAFE – it assumed the creation of a special fund to which EU funds would go and could be redirected not only to the army, but also to services such as the Police or Border Guard. In response to the veto, the government adopted a resolution on the Armed Poland Program, which authorizes the Minister of National Defense and the Minister of Finance and Economy to sign the agreement and documents regarding the SAFE loan on behalf of the government. The loan will be taken out by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego for the benefit of the Armed Forces Support Fund (FWSZ).
Final negotiations with Brussels. PLN 20 billion with SAFE “a matter of hours”
The European Commission has sent Poland the SAFE loan agreement, and now Poland has a few days of preparations to sign it, said the government's plenipotentiary for SAFE, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, at a briefing. She added that after signing the agreement, an advance payment of approximately PLN 20 billion would be quickly sent to Poland.
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