"Blocking the SAFE programme would mean hitting the very core of our national security,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during a visit to the Military Institute of Armament Technology in Zielonka near Warsaw.
“There is no room here for politics or conflicts," he added.
Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz attended a live demonstration of new military equipment, including Polish-made aerial and ground-based unmanned systems, state news agency PAP reported.
Officials showcased components of the SAN anti-drone system, which is expected to be 90-percent financed with EU funds under the SAFE programme.
Tusk appealed to “everyone in Poland who has anything to say or decide on the matter" not to waste time, saying that "in the current geopolitical climate" swift action was essential.
He said combining EU funding with Poland’s know-how and expertise, industrial capacity and the armed forces’ ability to quickly deploy new equipment was crucial to ensuring secure borders and public safety.
The prime minister also argued that increased production of advanced military equipment presents an opportunity for Poland’s economy.
He said global interest in Polish-made equipment, including the Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle and Piorun portable air-defence systems, "already exceeds current production capacity."
Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters that the SAFE programme would significantly expand the capabilities of Poland’s defence industry, where he said employment and investment are rising.
He described the programme as the best way to "turbocharge" the ongoing modernisation of the armed forces and free up domestic funds for further military development.
The bill provides for the creation of a special fund managed by state development bank BGK to handle the EU money and finance projects.
The Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme provides up to EUR 150 billion in low-interest loans for military procurement, largely focused on equipment produced in Europe.
It is intended to strengthen EU defence capabilities and reduce reliance on US-made weapons.
EU member states on Tuesday formally approved Poland’s SAFE investment plan, under which Warsaw is set to receive EUR 43.7 billion in loans for 139 projects.
The government has said more than 80 percent of the funds would be spent within Poland’s defence industry.
Poland’s lower house of parliament last Friday passed legislation enabling access to the programme, with the Law and Justice (PiS) and Confederation opposition parties voting against it.
Opposition lawmakers have cited concerns including the need for stronger anti-corruption safeguards.
President Karol Nawrocki has also called for amendments, saying additional protections should be included.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński said on Monday that President Karol Nawrocki should veto the bill, arguing that SAFE has "powerful political implications" and is aimed at uniting Europe "under the German boot."
Poland's upper house, the Senate, was set to vote on the legislation later on Thursday.
Government officials have said that swift passage of the law is necessary because an agreement with the European Commission is planned for mid-March, with a first tranche of 15 percent of the total funds expected to be disbursed soon afterward.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP