Armed Forces
Polish President Signs a Legal Act That Increases The Defence Spending
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Polish President, Bronisław Komorowski, signed an act which is going to increase the level of Polish military spending. The expenditure is going to reach an amount equivalent to least 2% of the Polish GDP.
Bronisław Komorowski signed an amendment of the Act concerning the transformation and technological modernization and funding of the Polish Armed Forces. The Act additionally introduces changes in the Polish budget law. The main assumption behind the adopted regulation is to set the defence-related expenditures at the level which would constitute an amount equivalent to at least 2% of the preceding year’s GDP.
Today, I may say that it pays to be consistent within the area of security, defence, and within the area of finances related to modernization of the Polish Armed Forces - here, we are also trying to be consistent.
Bronisław Komorowski, after attending the ceremony, during which the bill was signed, recalled the fact that the amendment changes the Act covering the issues of transformation, modernization and funding related to the Polish Army, which was originally adopted back in 2001. The regulations that were in force so far assumed that the planned defence budget would be contained in an amount of at least 1.95% of gross domestic product. President Komorowski additionally emphasized the value of consistency in the process of financing in the area of defence.
The new Act would also implement a 10 years planning period and a 4-year long development programming cycle, the aim of which is to plan development of the Polish Army in line with the requirements maintained by the NATO alliance. Increase of the level of defence spending up to the value equal to 2% of the GDP also constitutes a realization of the commitments made during the NATO Summit in Newport.
Works on the bill which increases the military spending up to the level of 2% of GDP began last year, after President Komorowski’s statement made during the Barack Obama’s visit to Poland. The statement referred to the increased funding which would be provided for the Polish Army. The bill was adopted by the Polish parliament on 27th May this year. 402 MP’s voted yes, 2 voted no, 2 abstained from voting.