Defence spending rises almost three-fold between 2015-2023, says PM

Polish defence spending will have risen from PLN 37 billion (EUR 7.82 billion) in 2015, when the current government took office, to a planned PLN 98 billion (EUR 20.49) in 2023, the prime minister said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Mateusz Morawiecki said the growth in spending was unprecedented.

"Executing this year's (defence - PAP) budget, we see it at the level of PLN 58 billion (EUR 12.26 billion), so there will be a growth of about PLN 40 billion (EUR 8.45 billion). Never before has there been such growth. Since 2015, that is growth from PLN 37 billion) to PLN 98 billion. That is incredible growth.... That spending is set in the budget.

"Apart from that, at the moment we are signing contracts with partners, be they American or Korean... even in advance of the contract, the financial negotiation machine is working," Morawiecki explained. "Within the framework of the Defence Fund, within the framework of the National Economy Bank (BGK) Fund, talks are going on with armaments suppliers in order to 'finalise' payment in instalments; for them to cover the financing, which we will pay back in the coming years. It is on this principle that we have built our conviction that an additional financial injection of PLN 30 to 40 billion will be available for weapons purchases."

Earlier Morawiecki had said that, "this year we will close the national defence budget at the level of about PLN 58 billion, and next year we plan PLN 98 billion."