On the Territorial Defense Forces Day, the Minister of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, expressed gratitude to the Territorial Defense soldiers for their service to the Homeland and for helping those in need. Just a few years ago, the PSL politician had said that “the WOT do not serve society and therefore should be abolished.”
Territorial Defense Forces Day
A few years ago, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz had called for the dissolution of the Territorial Defense Forces (WOT). “The TDF must be disbanded, because they do not serve our society, we do not see the results of their activities, and the money should be allocated to support people with disabilities,” said the PSL leader in 2018.
Only after the coalition’s election victory on December 13 did Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who was preparing to take over as Minister of National Defense, change his stance on the Territorial Defense Forces. “I am retracting my earlier position after what has happened in recent years. I saw the commitment of the Territorial Defense Forces; they proved themselves,” said Kosiniak-Kamysz.
On the WOT holiday, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz thanked them for their service to the Homeland and for assisting those in need. “More than 43,000 WOT soldiers bear witness every day that the motto ‘Always ready, always close’ is not just empty words. Especially in the past 12 months, when we fought against the effects of floods, you demonstrated what the words of the military oath truly mean,” the Minister of National Defense wrote on X.
Dziś święto Wojsk Obrony Terytorialnej. Dziękujemy @terytorialsi za służbę Ojczyźnie, za pomoc potrzebującym. Ponad 43 tys. żołnierzy WOT każdego dnia daje świadectwo, że hasło „Zawsze gotowi, zawsze blisko" to nie są puste słowa. Szczególnie w ostatnich 12 miesiącach, kiedy… pic.twitter.com/QZWTpP2thA
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) September 27, 2025
On September 27, the anniversary of the founding of the Polish Underground State, Poland celebrates Territorial Defense Forces Day. The WOT were established on January 1, 2017. Today, more than 43,000 soldiers serve in their ranks, including over 6,000 professional soldiers, active reservists, and thousands of volunteers who balance their private and professional lives with service to the Homeland.