Posts of candidates for the office of President of the Republic of Poland on the Navy case

The Shipyard Portal, in the interest of the future, decided to ask questions to candidates for the office of the President of the Republic of Poland concerning the future of such armed forces.

Questions were sent to the following candidates:

• Mr Andrzej Duda,
• Mr Simon Holovnia,
• Ms Margaret Kidawa-Błońska,
• Mr. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish,
• Mr Robert Biedron,
• Mr Krzysztof Bosak,
• Mr Mirosław Piotrowski,

We publish the answers we have received so far in the Portal.

Position of candidate Margaret Kidawa-Błońska

Are you aware of the unprecedented breach in our national maritime safety system due to the complete degradation of the Navy that has occurred in recent years?

A clear priority in the development of the Armed Forces after 2000 The year was the Air Force. For the purposes of maritime safety, the Coastal Rocket Squadron, equipped with modern equipment, was acquired from 2011 and developed in the following years. In 2013 it was decided to complete the construction of the ORP Ślązak and start construction of the first of the series destroyer min Kormoran (the first new ship built in decades for MW). In 2015, a tender for multitasking helicopters was decided, a large part of which was to serve maritime safety. By 2015, a decision was prepared to acquire modern submarines with maneuvering missiles. Unfortunately, after 2015, MW development plans were postponed or abandoned.

What percentage of the budget for SZRP Technical Modernisation Programmes do you think should be allocated to rebuilding the Navy?

I believe that the development of the Armed Forces should be treated as a whole. An example are, for example, omissions in the helicopter program. The better solution is to agree to quickly implement at least one large programme for MW, e.g. the acquisition of submarines.

30 percent of trade is transported by sea. So what is your idea of securing these transports during peace, crisis or war?

Cooperation within NATO, and in particular cooperation with Germany in the Baltic. Unfortunately, various projects in this area were reduced after 2015. Poland must, of course, contribute to the Baltic and NATO missions.

Can you indicate what is the cause of the unprecedented collapse of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the associated serious negligence in the field of security of our country?

Subsequent governments had different priorities and put off very costly MW programmes for later. Public opinion, military and experts were not and are not convinced to invest in MW.

Would you support the idea of establishing a National Plan for the reconstruction of the MW of Poland, consisting of the obligation to allocate PLN 2.2 billion (equivalent to a percentage of GDP of 0.1%) annually in the Act to provide the Navy with the necessary ships, such as rocket frigates and submarines, as well as helicopters and aircraft (onboard and sea patrol aircraft) outside the MON budget (as was the case with F-16 aircraft)?

I'm all for rebuilding and developing the Navy. Nevertheless, I am opposed to rigid records that quickly become dead. Action should be taken by the Government and the MON in broad consultation with the Sejm and the Senate within the next budgets.

Would you support the restoration of the Naval Command as an independent type of armed force as soon as possible?

There is no link between the "recreation of Naval Command as a stand-alone type of armed force" and the real capabilities of the Navy. Years of collapse fall upon this independence and separateness. The MW will develop as part of the combined forces if its priorities are represented in the General Staff and General Command.

Author: Małogorzata Kidawa – Błońska