Defence funding increase sets 'good example'

Tomasz Siemoniak. Photo: Polish Radio

President Bronislaw Komorowski announced on Tuesday during President Barack Obama's visit that he is asking the government for a rise in defence funding from 1.95 percent of Poland's GDP to 2 percent.

Siemoniak told Polish Radio on Thursday that Poland is setting “a good example for those who have reduced their defence budgets in recent years.

“Clearly, this is no time for reduction in the region,” he added, alluding to the Ukrainian crisis.

Few NATO member states in the region maintain the level of investment that the organisation encourages (2 percent of GDP), a situation that was exacerbated by the financial crisis of recent years.

However, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania have all indicated that they will raise spending on defence in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis.

Siemoniak said that the increase in funding would be used to in part to modernise the army.

However, he also said that funds would be spent on “creating an infrastructure in Poland for the use of NATO allies.”

He revealed that modern airbases could be included in these plans, adding that Polish companies would be used in the investments concerning infrastructure.

During his visit to Poland this week, President Barack Obama said he would ask the U.S. Congress for 1 billion dollars, so as to increase the US's military presence Eastern Europe. (nh)