On Friday 8 May, Poland signed an agreement with the EU to receive a loan of over €44 billion as part of the €150 billion SAFE defence programme.
According to the European bureau of Report, the agreement was formalised with signatures in Warsaw by representatives of Poland and the European Commission.
The country became the first of the 19 EU member states to receive the loan; Lithuania is set to sign the agreement under this programme tomorrow.
“Poland is the first to sign up to SAFE and is becoming the main European pillar of defence on the eastern flank,” said European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius, speaking at the signing ceremony.
According to him, Europe must prepare to defend peace with its own resources and not merely arm itself, but surpass Russia in defence production. At the same time, Kubilius noted that investment in defence is needed to prevent war, not to wage it.
According to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, this event represents a real breakthrough.
“Poland will become safer. These funds (SAFE) will be directly invested in ensuring Poland’s security, in the Polish defence industry, in Polish companies cooperating with the defence sector, and in our technological capabilities,” he said.
https://report.az/ru/drugie-strany/polsha-podpisala-kontrakt-po-oboronnoj-programme-safe
