The SAFE instrument – a major development programme
For the first time in history, the European Union is investing in arms procurement, through the SAFE instrument, which is one of the successes of Poland’s presidency. Yesterday, the European Commission issued a positive assessment of Poland’s application for financing from this programme. Our country will be the largest beneficiary of the project, nearly PLN 200 billion will come to Poland.
“The money that will come to Poland from the SAFE programme is greater than the entire defence budget of Spain or Italy. And I’m speaking only about the money from SAFE. I’m not speaking about our budgetary spending on defence,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk recalled.
From the very beginning, the SAFE programme was intended as a project enabling the use of European funds on a massive scale, both to support the Polish defence industry and to strengthen protection of Poland’s border. The money will go toward the modernisation of the armed forces, the defence industry, and the security of the state.
“Nearly 30 projects out of more than a hundred are the East Shield (Tarcza Wschód) and the eastern border, so these funds will directly serve our security,” Donald Tusk said.
Already today, Poland’s land border with Belarus and with Russia is the best-protected border of all European borders.
The SAFE programme is not only an investment in security. It is a major development programme that will drive the entire economy.
“Eighty percent of these funds will go to Polish companies, to the Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa), to private and state-owned entities. These will be direct investments in the economy,” the Prime Minister announced.
The head of government also announced that soon, together with Minister W. Kosiniak-Kamysz, they will initiate an investment aimed at providing drone-based protection of Poland’s, and Europe’s, eastern border.
Polish foreign policy in the face of new challenges
The current international situation, both globally and regionally, is exceptionally dynamic. Uncertainty caused by the armed conflict in Ukraine, as well as other dramatic events, requires deeper geopolitical reflection.
“Today we will discuss the assumptions of Poland’s foreign policy. The situation around Poland requires serious reflection and appropriately thought-out diplomacy,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced.
The attention of decision-makers and public opinion is now focused on the key challenges of Polish foreign policy, relations both with states that pose a threat to Poland and with its allies.
“The issue of Poland’s dignity and the dignity of the Polish uniform has become a serious challenge. We will act in a thoughtful and decisive manner,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced.
This was a reference to comments by President Donald Trump about the participation of allied troops in Afghanistan, which in his view were supposed to stay away from the front line. The Polish Armed Forces, shoulder to shoulder with allies, took part, among others, in missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In Afghanistan, 44 Poles were killed (43 soldiers and one paramedic). 23 Polish soldiers were killed in Iraq.
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