Polish Cabinet Overrides Presidential Veto on SAFE Loan
Moscow (ANTARA) — Poland’s government plans to secure a loan for military equipment purchases through the European Union’s SAFE defence programme despite receiving a presidential veto, according to Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The European Commission approved an allocation of €44 billion for Poland through the EU’s SAFE weapons procurement programme in January.
Polish Parliament subsequently passed legislation authorising the government to implement the loan programme before it was submitted to the president for signature.
However, on Thursday, Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the draft legislation.
“We will discuss a cabinet resolution using a method less effective than our original proposal to the president, but this is necessary to ensure not a single zloty is wasted in the rapid modernisation of Poland’s armed forces,” said Kosiniak-Kamysz.
He emphasised the government remains committed to accelerating military modernisation amid mounting security challenges in the European region.
The step was taken to ensure national defence capability strengthening continues despite political processes facing obstacles.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the presidential veto surprised many in Poland.
“Poland is in a state of shock. The president vetoed this programme for reasons we do not understand,” Tusk said during a cabinet meeting on Friday.
According to him, many Polish citizens now question the motives behind the decision.
“People are asking whether this is betrayal, the result of lobbying by certain groups, or simply a lack of common sense,” he stated.
Tusk also warned that the president’s decision could have serious political consequences.
“We are beginning a cabinet meeting that will adopt a resolution as the basis for implementing this programme,” said Tusk.
He acknowledged that the approach would likely proceed more slowly and require greater effort compared to the original plan.
However, the government, according to Tusk, remains determined to continue the programme of strengthening national defence.
The SAFE programme is itself an EU defence scheme that provides long-term, low-interest loans to member states.
The funds are intended to strengthen military capabilities and strategic infrastructure.
Additionally, the programme is used for weapons procurement as well as cyber technology and defence development.
The European Union launched the scheme as part of efforts to strengthen collective security capacity amid increasing geopolitical tensions in the region.