On Thursday, the Polish Senate approved several amendments to the SAFE program bill, which aims to enhance national security spending, while rejecting amendments proposed by the opposition. The ruling party, PiS, initially sought to dismiss the entire project but ultimately faced a majority that favored continuing the legislation. One significant amendment stipulates that repayments of loans under the SAFE program will not be financed from the Ministry of National Defence budget and will not count towards the overarching defense spending limit. This alteration provides a more flexible framework for the financing of security measures without burdening the national defense budget.

Additionally, the amendments establish mandatory anti-corruption and counterintelligence oversight of the funds utilized from SAFE by the Internal Security Agency (ABW), Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW), and the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA). This move is intended to enhance the integrity and security of fund allocation and utilization, ensuring that resources are managed in a transparent and accountable manner. Sławomir Cenckiewicz has raised concerns regarding the conditionality mechanism tied to SAFE funding, which he refers to as a 'nuclear weapon'—implying that the potential strings attached to funding could have significant implications for the country’s sovereignty and governance.

The upcoming discussions as the bill returns to the Sejm will be crucial, particularly how the ruling and opposition parties navigate this contentious issue. The implications of these changes could redefine how military and security funding is approached in Poland, especially in the context of EU regulations and the pressures of ensuring accountability in defense spending. Cenckiewicz's warnings may resonate with those wary of external influences on national policy, highlighting the ongoing debate over sovereignty versus collaboration within the EU framework.