Sikorski warns Nawrocki. "Stupid orders from Nowogrodzka"
Poland's Radosław Sikorski criticizes President Karol Nawrocki for potentially vetoing the SAFE program, which is seen as a crucial European initiative endorsed by U.S. sponsors amid opposition from PiS politicians.
In Poland, political tensions are rising as officials from the PiS party, led by Jarosław Kaczyński, criticize the SAFE program and demand President Karol Nawrocki to veto the legislation implementing it. Concerned responses have emerged from the Presidential Palace, highlighting the internal conflict regarding the SAF program's implications. Presidential advisor Marcin Przydacz expressed that there are significant concerns tied to the legislation, labeling it a suspected 'conditionality' issue, which raises the risk of the European Commission retracting funding after contracts are signed.
Sikorski, Poland's Foreign Minister, responded sharply to inquiries about whether the government has a contingency plan if Nawrocki were to veto the SAFE law. He proclaimed that a veto would indicate adherence to 'stupid and anti-military orders' from the ruling party's headquarters at Nowogrodzka. Sikorski suggested that such a decision could stem from a misunderstanding that favoring the SAFE initiative, which aligns with European preferences, might be unpopular with American sponsors, a notion he dismissed as false, arguing that American support for the SAFE program is robust.
This political back-and-forth illustrates not only the internal complexities within Polish politics but also the broader implications of the relationship between Poland, the EU, and the United States. With opposition from key political figures and government officials, the fate of the SAFE program hangs in the balance, potentially affecting Poland's military cooperation and funding dynamics within Europe and beyond.