Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the EU SAFE program law and proposed German reparations fund Poland’s security.
President’s Veto on SAFE Program
On Friday (March 13), President Karol Nawrocki stated that decisions concerning Poland’s freedom, sovereignty, security, and military development are the responsibility of the Polish Commander-in-Chief, not Brussels or the European Union. He criticized the EU’s SAFE program as incompatible with both Article 4 of the EU Treaty and the Polish Constitution.
“SAFE zero percent” represents Nawrocki’s alternative solution, which he claims would provide Poland with sovereignty, decision-making independence, and protection against external risks. A bill creating the Polish Fund for Defense Investments has already been submitted to parliament, with financing to come from profits of the National Bank of Poland.
Proposal for German Reparations
During a visit to Berlin, Nawrocki proposed that Germany should start paying reparations to Poland, which could then be invested in Poland’s military security and NATO’s eastern flank. He claimed that Chancellor Merz reacted to his proposal with understanding, unlike Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who previously stated that Poland would pay reparations itself.
“Germany has the awareness that they must pay reparations to Poland. If they are truly interested in developing Polish military forces and the EU is interested, we can begin this process with German investments, from the German state budget for Polish army equipment for the eastern flank of NATO. This is fair,” Nawrocki stated.
Historical Context of Reparations
Polish governments have made varying statements on reparations over the years. In 2022, under the PiS government, Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau sent a diplomatic note demanding 6 trillion 220 billion 609 million złoty in reparations for damages caused by German aggression and occupation from 1939-1945. Germany responded that the matter remains closed and they have no intention of negotiations.
Current Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that the previous PiS government did not even approach Germany about reparations. In contrast, former Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga in 2006 had indicated that Poland had renounced reparations under international law, though she later clarified that her personal opinion differed from the official document bearing her signature.
