On Sunday, Deputy Minister of Defence, Cezary Tomczyk, declared that the applications of Polish companies, represented by the Law and Justice Government, to finance the production of ammunition, submitted to the European Commission, only amount to EUR 11 million. He stressed that with specified an amount, it is improbable to receive support of EUR 500 million.
"The scandal is the state of the Polish defence manufacture after 8 years of the regulation of the Law and the fact that any companies did not apply for backing at all. The full process took place during the days of Minister of State Assets Jack Sasin and Minister of defence Mariusz Błaszczak," wrote Tomczyk in an entry on platform X.
Former Minister of Defence Mariusz Błaszczak (PiS) asked about the EU Fund on Saturday, why from the EUR 500 million transferred by the EC for the production of artillery ammunition to Poland only EUR 2.1 million.
“Donald “King of Europe” Tusk dealt with the full 0.42% of the EU ammunition production programme for Poland. The European Commission's initiative is right and necessary. Only why from the EUR 500 million transferred to European arms companies to increase artillery production, Poland receives only about €2.1 million? German companies will receive about 85 million and Hungarian 27 million", explained on Saturday on X, erstwhile head of MON, Mariusz Błaszczak.
Błaszczak was responded by the Ministry of Defence.
"Mr Błaszczak: we have precisely what you left behind in the Polish arms industry. The fact that only 1 of our companies is gaining it should be a shame for you, due to the fact that offers could be submitted for 2 months from October 2023 and for this program you personally submitted accession in March 2023. So the program was announced during the word of the Law and Justice government! alternatively of supporting him, the Lord preferred to have political picnics during this time. It was worth taking care of our companies, not focusing on constantly exchanging CEOs. present we have the results. Of the 3 companies that applied to the ASAP, only 1 was qualified. This is the image you leave behind," explained.
EU fund: EUR 500 million to support arms companies
In the face of expanding safety challenges, the European Commission took an crucial step on Friday, approving the allocation of EUR 500 million to support arms companies. The aim of this initiative is to increase the production capacity of artillery ammunition, which is not only to enable more missiles to be delivered to Ukraine, but besides to replenish the ammunition stocks of the associate States of the European Union.
This decision is crucial for strengthening the European defence industry, with an ambitious nonsubjective of achieving production capacity of 2 million missiles per year by the end of 2025. The current production capacity, estimated at just over 1 million rounds a year, demonstrates a decisive step forward in expanding defence capacity.
These investments are to go to renowned arms companies specified as Rheinmetall, Nammo, Chemring Nobel, Hellenic Defence Systems, Eurenco, pointing to a wide scope of cooperation across Europe. In addition to direct financial support, the EC besides expects to boost additional investments from the sector, with the anticipation that co-financing of projects will attract full investments of around EUR 1.4 billion.
