Polish PM defends SAFE program as boost to sovereignty, defence industry

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has pushed back against criticism of the EU’s SAFE defence loan program, asserting that the initiative strengthens Poland’s sovereignty and bolsters its defence industry.

Speaking at a press conference at the PIT-Radwar defence company in Kobyłka, near Warsaw, Tusk emphasized that SAFE was Poland’s own initiative. “We told Brussels what this project should look like – not the other way around,” he said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Polish media.

The Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament, is scheduled to vote on amendments from the upper house aimed at implementing SAFE. The amendments seek to ensure that loan repayments do not come from the defence ministry’s budget and introduce oversight by the country’s security, anti-corruption, and counter-intelligence agencies.

Tusk highlighted that more than 80 percent of SAFE funds would be directed to Polish firms and the domestic arms industry, while German industry would benefit by only 0.37 percent, and solely through a Swedish-German company. “It is also a major injection of opportunities, money, and technology into the Polish arms industry and all its contractors,” he said.

The prime minister reassured allies that the SAFE program would not affect Poland’s spending on American military equipment, calling the initiative a “win-win” that would make Poland “an even better ally.”

Around 12,000 Polish firms are expected to benefit from the funds, which will support advanced technologies such as satellites, cyber defense, and counter-drone systems. A significant portion will also be allocated to the Eastern Shield border fortification project.

By Vafa Guliyeva