Speaking to private broadcaster TVN24, Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk said he was "shocked" by a report by journalist Piotr Świerczek examining the terms of past weapons contracts.
The investigation found that the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government secured loans from South Korea at higher interest rates than those available under the European SAFE defence financing programme and that equipment purchased under the contracts would be manufactured abroad rather than in Poland.
Tomczyk questioned former Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak's criticism of the SAFE programme, saying that arms deals signed with South Korea under the previous government were also financed in large part through euro-denominated loans.
He accused Błaszczak of making false claims about the programme and acting against the interests of Poland's armed forces.
Tomczyk also criticised what he described as a lack of transparency surrounding the financing of the South Korean contracts, saying the use of euro-denominated loans had not been disclosed publicly at the time and was reported only by South Korean media.
He further accused Błaszczak, PiS and President Karol Nawrocki, who is backed by the party, of misleading voters about the SAFE programme by portraying it as a mechanism tied to German-made equipment and costly borrowing.
Separately, Tomczyk said he had no objection to Poland’s rearmament efforts under the previous defence minister, but criticised specific contract details, including the purchase of FA-50 light combat aircraft without accompanying weapons systems.
(ał/gs)
Source: tvn24.pl