Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the EU SAFE defense loan program, prompting Donald Tusk to warn of political extremists trying to distance Poland from Europe.
President Vetoes SAFE Program
On Friday evening, the presidential website published President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to veto the law implementing the EU SAFE program for defense loans. In the justification, it was mentioned, among other things, about “violating Poland’s sovereignty and transferring further state competences to the European Union.”
Tusk’s Response
The same day, Donald Tusk addressed the issue on TVP Info. “What is happening in politics due to President Nawrocki and the gentlemen from the opposition is a very dangerous situation,” he assessed. He added that “the matter has fundamental significance and it’s not about the president’s veto itself, but about what we should really be afraid of in connection with what has become of Polish politics on the right.”
Tusk’s Social Media Statement
On Saturday morning, the head of government returned to the topic on X. “In the war over SAFE, all masks have fallen. Today no one can have any doubts that the upcoming elections will decide whether Poland remains in Europe and who wants to lead us out of it. We must jointly stop the political madmen,” read Tusk’s post.
Government’s “Plan B”
The government declares that after the president’s veto, SAFE will be implemented within the Fundusz Wsparcia Sił Zbrojnych (Fund for Support of the Armed Forces) operating in the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. This fund was established based on the defense of the homeland law passed in March 2022 (during PiS government).
Poland’s SAFE Funding
Poland’s application to the SAFE program amounted to 43.7 billion euros and received approval from EU institutions, making Poland the largest beneficiary of the program. According to the government’s declarations, 89% of these funds would go to Polish defense companies.