The hero is not the 1 who will win the war, but who will not let the war," said General Stanislaw Garsnek in Białystok. On Tuesday there was a gathering of representatives of the MON with local local local authorities on the construction of the Shield East. The Deputy Minister of Defence ensured that the implementation of the programme would strengthen the safety of Podlasie and become an chance to make the region.
National safety programme “Tarcza East” was announced in May 2024 by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. As part of this program, a military installation belt is to be created on the 700-kilometre long of the east and northern borders, reaching up to 50 km deep. The intent of this investment is to increase the level of border leak. Today, the Deputy Chiefs of the Ministry of Defence – Cezary Tomczyk and Stanisław Wzątek discussed the construction of the Shield East with the Podlasie local government.
– Eastern Shield It starts a full steam and will be built in the next 4 years, thanks, among others, to the engineering troops," said Deputy Minister of defence Cezary Tomczyk. – From here we want to make it very clear that the Podlasie is safe. All our activities related to the Shield of the East or the construction and modernization of the barrier on the Polish-Belarusian border are to guarantee that residents of Podlasie and the tourists who are here were safe and full aware of it – he emphasized at the press conference Caesary Tomczyk. The Deputy Minister added that the Shield of the East is simply a strategical government programme that will be included in the policies of the European Union and NATO. Therefore, the funds needed to build infrastructure are to come from both the state budget and EU and Natov funds. Tomczyk added that Polish Tarcza is part of an global investment (led in cooperation with Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland), which will consequence in the creation of a “defensible line”. – The border with Russia and Belarus will not only be the best safe border in Europebut besides the most innovative – announced the Secretary of State. In addition to infrastructure elements specified as palisades, reinforced concrete hedgehogs, and anti-tank ditches, the shield besides includes innovative communication solutions or anti-drone systems.
On the another hand, Deputy Minister of Defence Stanisław Wzątek informed that during the talks there were 3 words keys: security, partnership and development. He besides raised fears of alleged displacements or expropriations. “There are no plans, and there never was,” he said. “Our investments will be carried out on the land of the State Treasury, State Forests, National Centre for Agricultural Support and another elements of state infrastructure”, explained the Undersecretary of State. However, he acknowledged that possible expropriations would be of a purely incidental nature.
The representatives of the MON argued that the Shield of the East would be an impulse to make (also local) the economy. The intention of the government – as the Deputy Ministers said – is to build it for Polish entrepreneurs. The government besides hopes that expanding the safety of the region will affect the improvement of tourism.
Podlasie Voivodeship Jacek Brzozowski stressed that the Tarcza East is simply a "investment in peace", a program aimed at ensuring safety for Poles and Poles. – It is not only the inhabitants of our region, but the full country – reminded the voivode.
Subsequent meetings of government representatives in Podlasie will be held, among others, with residents whose farms will be adjacent to the elements of the Shield East.
