On Saturday, President Karol Nawrocki presented 12 nominations for general and one admiral rank. In his speech, the president emphasized that our alliances should be strengthened, including in NATO. He added that this is what Polish generals and, above all, politicians are for, to respect alliances and not thoughtlessly undermine them.
The Saturday ceremony on the Polish Flag Day in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace was attended by, among others: the president's wife Marta Nawrocka, deputy prime minister, head of the Ministry of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and the head of the General Staff of the Polish Army, General Wiesław Kukuła.
President Karol Nawrocki presented nomination acts for the ranks of general and admiral to twelve officers of the Polish Army. He also handed over 16 state flags, previously flying at the Presidential Palace. They were sent to uniformed schools from all over the country, as well as to the Polish Studio Theater in Vilnius.
Nawrocki appeals to politicians: Alliances should be respected
The president emphasized in his speech that the national flag is “the most important point of reference for our mission, activities and everyday work” and that it is a symbol “filled with the memory of many centuries of building a national community.”
It contains both joy and hope, but also struggle, suffering, sovereignty, freedom, but also longing for lost sovereignty, freedom and independence – noted the president. – In the flag of the Republic of Poland, in the colors of white and red, we are enclosed as a national community, on the same foundation of identity and values that met us here today – he added.
Nawrocki said that today we are sending a signal about the unity of the nation and its community, as well as the continuity of generations and the Republic of Poland. – I would like us all to realize (…) that we are carrying out our mission today for a moment, and the Republic of Poland has lasted and will continue in the next generations. Without this mission there will never be a good president, a good government, or a good general. We must think about a lasting, over a thousand-year-old Republic of Poland and one that will last for the next thousand years, he added.
Nawrocki: We need command staff
The president also addressed the generals. – Please accept my heartfelt congratulations for today's nominations. They are an expression of deep respect for the path you have already traveled. They are respect for your professionalism, for your availability towards the Republic of Poland, he said. – Your biographies convey a deep conviction that the Republic of Poland will be safe and because of this belief, you were ready to fulfill even very difficult missions in Poland and beyond the borders of our beloved homeland – added Nawrocki.
He emphasized that he would like them to also have a “deep belief that the most important thing is the strength of the Polish army.” He also spoke about the need to strengthen the alliance, including NATO. – We need to strengthen our international alliances, which make us feel stronger and more stable, including the North Atlantic Alliance. That's what Polish generals are for, but above all, that's what Polish politicians are for – to respect alliances and not to thoughtlessly undermine them, said the president.
Karol Nawrocki pointed out that the army should develop all types of armed forces, drawing conclusions from the changing situation in international politics. – InIn the 21st century, the military needs to have command staffwhich understands the changing circumstances in the world and the need for Poland and Poles to be ready to defend and attack from land, air and water, as well as building the multi-domain nature of the Polish armed forces and recognizing all trends – said the president.
He assessed that the latest general nominations would contribute to the creation of a “modern hierarchy of the Polish armed forces.” He added that the newly nominated generals “are great patriots” and at the same time realize that the situation in the world is changing rapidly and they are ready to “adapt to these changes.”
Kosiniak-Kamysz on general promotions
The officers appointed on Saturday received honorary maces, which were presented to them by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The head of the Ministry of National Defense emphasized in his speech that the ceremony is proof that cooperation is possible. – General nominations would not have taken place had it not been for the proposal of the Minister of National Defense, the acceptance of the President of the Republic of Poland and the countersignature of the Prime Minister.. This is the obligation to cooperate outlined in the constitution. It is a privilege and honor to act under the constitution and the most important state organs. And this cooperation, despite various events and words that are often spoken, is possible – he emphasized.
The head of the Ministry of National Defense also spoke about the need to build not only a strong army, but a strong society, one that can cooperate for the benefit of the state. – Three things: a strong society, a strong army, a strong alliance. Without the first two, we wouldn't really mean much in this third one, because they only count on the strong – added the Deputy Prime Minister. As a warning, he pointed to the upcoming centenary of the May coup, which, in his opinion, divided Poland and led to the country not being ready to defend itself in 1939.
12 new generals of the Polish Army
The following people were appointed to the rank of division general: Brig. Gen. Dariusz Lewandowski – commander of the 18th Mechanized Division and Brig. Gen. Michał Strzelecki – commander of the Special Forces Component.
The following were appointed to the rank of brigadier general: commander of the 20th Mechanized Brigade, Col. Dariusz Dróżdż; commander of the 12th Mechanized Brigade, Col. Krzysztof Duda, commander of the 21st Podhale Rifle Brigade, Col. Marcin Dusza; commander of the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade, Col. Piotr Gołos; 1st deputy commander of the Territorial Defense Forces, Col. Jarosław Kowalski; head of the Missile and Artillery Forces Directorate at the General Command of the Armed Forces, Col. Andrzej Kupis; Deputy Commander of Transformation and Training of the Armed Forces, Col. Andrzej Lis; the commander of the 18th Artillery Brigade, Col. Piotr Męczyński, and the deputy head of the P7 Training Directorate at the General Staff of the Polish Army, Col. Robert Polak.
Cdr Przemysław Karaś – deputy commander of the Naval Operations Center, deputy commander of the Maritime Component – was appointed to the rank of rear admiral.
During the ceremony, the president also presented 16 state flags that had previously flown at the Presidential Palace. They were sent to Polish organizations and uniformed schools. (PAP)
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