The government is expected to address the draft Act on the Financial Instrument for Increase Safety SAFE (FIZB) on Wednesday. It will be a peculiar separate financial instrument managed by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. Appropriate national institutional, financial and procedural arrangements are essential to conclude a debt agreement with the European Commission, which is scheduled for March 2026. SAFE loans are intended to support the Polish defence manufacture and increase border security.
– SAFE is simply a fresh instrument for financing defence development, the independency of the European Union and building its defence potential, but besides economical safety and competitiveness in the defence sector. This instrument was discussed by the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which is why I indicated it as part of the European Commission's fast action in this respect – says Newseria agency Prof. Marta Postula, First Vice president of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.
On 28 November 2025 Poland applied to the European Commission for financial assistance in the form of a debt under the SAFE programme. The proposal includes an investment plan which amounts to just over EUR 43.7 billion. It was approved by the European Commission at the end of January. The money will be utilized to modernise troops and make the defence industry, but besides to strengthen the protection of the Polish border – almost 30 projects from over 100 concern the Shield of the East and the east border. As announced by the Prime Minister after receiving a affirmative decision from the EC, 80 percent of the funds from the SAFE programme are to go to Polish companies, which is to drive the national economy.
In March 2026, a debt agreement is planned with the European Commission and until then, it is essential to enter into force the Act on the Financial Instrument for Increase in Safety of SAFE (FIZB).
– According to the BGK project, it is the operator of this fund, which means that these funds will be located in our country. – emphasizes Prof. Marta Postula.
The selection of the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego as an institution serving FIZB, as highlighted in the project, is due to its position as a state improvement bank, its experience in fund management, repayable instruments and cooperation with the institutions of the European Union. The borrower will be BGK and the guarantor will be the Minister liable for public finances. Ministers from respective ministries will be eligible for FIZB funds, whose projects have been taken into account and accepted by the EC as part of an investment plan in the European defence industry.
The Act precisely defines the allocation of FIZB funds, including the financing and co-financing of tasks, the operation and repayment of the SAFE loan, or the performance of liabilities arising from the State Treasury guarantees.
– We will operate with and on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of the Interior. This is simply a tool for financing purchases, but we will effort – we are already doing this present as BGK – to build it up to the full defence sector support facility. Work on this subject is in parallel with the Ministry of Finance – emphasises the first vice-president of BGK.
According to SAFE, loans will be granted for joint contracts involving at least 2 associate States, as well as Ukraine or EFTA/EEA countries.
– buying from the second half of this year is to be done jointly. What does that mean? That if we have a good manufacture and we can apply it properly, and that's what's happening right now, economical diplomacy, then we're going to sale it to another countries as well, and we're going to reconstruct the position of industry. – noted Prof. Marta Postula. – Today we have purchases on the 1 hand, which are made by the Minister of National Defence, and we already see improvement in the defence sector. We besides have a fresh safety and Defence Fund and SAFE. This is the complement of the full instrumentarium. This process should be viewed together, not only at SAFE in isolation from another activities carried out by the Polish government. We hope he works and he'll make a good flywheel.
The safety and Defence Fund was identified as part of the National Reconstruction Plan. His budget exceeds PLN 22 billion, which will be allocated to safety and defence purposes. In late January 2026, the Steering Committee of the FBIO, which includes, among others, the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy and the Minister of National Defence, adopted investment priorities. These included: the improvement of collective protection facilities and civilian protection infrastructure (PLN 9.6 billion), the construction and modernisation of dual-use infrastructure (over PLN 6.2 billion), investments in cybersecurity (PLN 2.5 billion) and modern manufacture (about PLN 4 billion). These funds will benefit technology companies from the defence sector and local government. This instrument will besides be operated by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. The beneficiaries will be able to number on support in the form of loans and equity investments, which will be operated by a peculiar company set up by BGK.
