On Saturday, the law on the defense of the Homeland entered into force. It is aimed at increasing the defense budget to at least 3% GDP in 2023 and increasing the size of the Polish Army, recreating the reserve system and increasing the possibilities of training soldiers.
According to the act, taking into account the defense needs, the government will define the detailed directions of reconstruction and technical modernization of the Armed Forces for the next 15-year planning period every four years. The Minister of National Defense, on the basis of these directions and in accordance with the principles of defense planning in NATO will introduce a program for the development of the Armed Forces.
The act stipulates that no less than 2.2% of GDP is allocated annually to financing defense needs in 2022 and at least 3% of GDP in 2023 and subsequent years. According to the act, the head of the Ministry of National Defense takes into account the Polish industrial defense potential and expenditure on research and development work in state defense, while planning expenditure on the technical modernization of the army.
The act provides for the establishment of the Armed Forces Support Fund at Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. The resources of the Fund will be received from the revenues from support granted to foreign troops and providing them with training grounds, specialized military services, revenues from the sale of army property, donations, inheritances, bequests and issued bonds.
The Act introduces a division into active military service and service in reserve, it also regulates the training of soldiers, their public activities, military ranks, cooperation of the Ministry of National Defense with pro-defense organizations, powers and duties of soldiers, military discipline, punishments and disciplinary measures, awarding and remuneration.
The act establishes the Central Military Recruitment Center and military recruitment centers. Provincial military staffs are transformed into the Central Military Recruitment Center, and military replenishment commands – into military recruitment centers.
Arkadiusz Słomczyński