Our goal is to equip the Polish army and create such a defense system that no one would ever dare attack us, so that a Polish soldier would not have to fight – said President Andrzej Duda at the parade on the Polish Army Day.
In Warsaw on the Polish Army Day there is a military parade. The president spoke during the ceremony Andrzej Duda.
“This is the best day to talk about our safety”
– The Polish Army Day perfectly combines the past, present and future. This is the best day to talk about our safety here and now, in 2023, but also about the safety of the future, our children and grandchildren, said the president.
As he stated, “everyone sees that security is a fundamental issue.” – Again, we live in dangerous times, a full-scale war is taking place beyond our eastern border. This is a war that unfortunately still has no end in sight. We, Poles, from the very beginning, were involved in helping the heroically fighting against the Russian invader Ukraine Duda said.
He stressed that “thanks to the fact that Ukraine’s defenders hold back the Russian onslaught, (…) Poland is safer today.” – If someone does not understand this and criticizes our support, then in fact they do not understand anything, they do not understand what Poland’s security is based on. Independent Ukraine and independent Belarus are very important for Poland’s security – he pointed out.
The president spoke at the parade
“Defense of borders is one of the foundations of independence”
As the president said, “the defense of borders is one of the foundations of independence.” He added that Poland “became the object of a hybrid attack on the border, controlled by Russian and Belarusian services.”
– As a country, we passed this test perfectly. We owe it to the attitude and dedication of Polish soldiers and officers, he said, thanking those working at the border.
Duda: the security of Poland, Polish women and men is priceless
– We are strengthening and modernizing our armed forces, this year we will allocate over 4 percent of GDP – PLN 137 billion – to defence. This modernization includes equipment of every category – said Duda.
As he explained, “the purpose of all this great modernization is such armament Polish army and creating such a defense system that no one would ever dare attack us, that a Polish soldier would not have to fight, that our potential alone would be a sufficiently deterrent against any aggression.”
– Unfortunately, there are those who criticize this ambitious programme. There are those who loudly remind us that we are getting into debt to buy modern equipment. When I hear voices like that, I always say: we can’t wait 20 or 30 years to do this. We cannot afford to be idle today. The security of Poland, Polish women and men, is invaluable, he stressed.
Błaszczak: Gone are the times when our army had to be ashamed of the equipment it uses
The head of the Ministry of National Defense spoke before the president Mariusz Blaszczak. – August 15 is not only an opportunity to pay homage to the heroes of the victorious Battle of Warsaw and to thank contemporary soldiers for defending our homeland. It is also an ideal day to show our strength, to show that we have built a powerful Armed Forces that will effectively defend our borders without hesitation, to show that Poland has become a major player on the international scene – he said. According to Błaszczak, “gone are the days when our army had to be ashamed of the equipment it uses and the conditions in which it serves.” – Today we show our strength and modernity. Strong white and red is the motto of this year’s celebrations of the Polish Army Day. The strength of the white and red is the Polish Army, professional, effective, equipped with the highest quality equipment, which we have purchased in recent years – he argued. The head of the Ministry of National Defense reminded that “the Polish Army has been taking care of security at the border for a long time.” – It is prepared to constantly repel the hybrid attacks of the Russian and Belarusian regimes, reinforced by the recent presence of the so-called Wagner Group. Every day, several thousand soldiers are on duty there, so as to be ready at any time for an adequate response – he described. – Let’s applaud the soldiers who are currently on duty on the Polish-Belarusian border – he appealed. Błaszczak announced that “immediately after the end of the parade, he will go to the soldiers at the border to wish them personally”. – Security is the foundation of building a strong, just and prosperous state. Without the Polish Army, it is impossible to develop infrastructure, implement social programs or educate our children. A responsible state never gives up even an inch of its territory. We know it and we will never underestimate the task set before us by the most serene Republic – he concluded.