PiS MP Jarosław Sellin distinguishes past military financing from the EU’s SAFE program, calling the latter a “45-year shackles.”
President Vetoes SAFE Program
On Sunday, March 15, during the “7. Dzień Tygodnia” program on Radio ZET, the EU SAFE program vetoed by President Karol Nawrocki was discussed. Poland’s entry into the SAFE program would have taken control over how the Polish Armed Forces would be financed, stated PiS MP Jarosław Sellin.
President Karol Nawrocki announced on Thursday that he would not sign the law implementing the EU armament SAFE program, stating it “undermines our sovereignty, independence, economic and military security.”
Sellin: SAFE Means Limitations
Host Andrzej Stankiewicz asked Sellin about loans from South Korea and the US during PiS governments. “Didn’t that take control away (of the Ministry of Defense)? Especially since you couldn’t use American equipment without America’s consent,” said Stankiewicz.
“No, because until now arming the Polish army was based on two pillars: the MoD budget, which we increased and the Fund for Supporting the Polish Armed Forces,” Sellin replied, calling them “sovereign instruments.”
“We decide where, when, for how much, on what conditions we buy. European SAFE means that it’s not entirely us who decide,” said Sellin. “SAFE means limitations.”
PiS vs. Government on SAFE Program
When asked about the government’s “Plan B,” Sellin cited Article 89 of the Polish Constitution, which requires parliamentary consent for international agreements. “This consent is not there,” he stated.
“And your agreements with South Korea and America were international?” asked Stankiewicz. “No,” replied Sellin, drawing laughter from the studio.
“Those were individual agreements for purchasing specific equipment. Here it’s an agreement for 45 years, for a loan. This is a shackles for 45 years, completely different,” explained Sellin.
Government Defends SAFE Program
Government plenipotentiary Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka emphasized that “SAFE is not the KPO” and explained that “the SAFE mechanism works in a very simple way.” She noted Poland had submitted over 130 projects to the European Commission.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated during a “SAFE – Secure Poland” event that “the SAFE program was designed in Poland from beginning to end.” He added: “It is the European Commission that respected our proposals. We told Brussels how this project should look, not they us.”
Government’s “Plan B”
After the president’s veto, Tusk’s government adopted a resolution authorizing ministers of defense and finance to sign an agreement for a loan from SAFE. The SAFE loan will be taken by BGK on behalf of the Fund for Supporting the Polish Armed Forces.
The government is also working on a “Polish SAFE 0%,” a Polish Defense Investment Fund whose primary source of financing will be funds from the profit of the National Bank of Poland. Government spokesman Adam Szłapka called this a “presidential program of zero zlotys.”