Morawiecki Presents the “West Shield” Initiative: “We Want a Safe Country”

“We want a safe country. Entrepreneurs located near the western border are beginning to suffer losses, their revenues are decreasing, and they are paying the price for the Polish state’s failure to respond in time. They deserve a shield — the West Shield. But let’s also remember the Suwałki Shield and the entire eastern border — there are entrepreneurs there as well,” said former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during a press conference in the Sejm.

During the press conference, Morawiecki — now the chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists — stated that Poland’s borders, both eastern and western, are facing a “massive crisis.”

“This crisis is accompanied by chaos, because the current government’s services are failing to cope. Into this chaos stepped the civic activity of the Border Defense Movement. They are the ones supporting and supplementing the Border Guard officers, of whom there are too few. There’s a serious staffing shortage. Our needs are far greater than the current resources,” Morawiecki emphasized.

“In addition to this legal and communication chaos, and alongside the security issues, we are witnessing the tragedies of thousands of Polish entrepreneurs. Those in the gastronomy, transport, cross-border trade, and tourism sectors are feeling the effects of the government’s failure to properly handle this crisis in time,” he added.

He stressed that “we want to be wise before, not after the damage is done.”

“We want a safe country. The entrepreneurs on the western border who are starting to incur losses, whose revenues are declining, who are suffering because the Polish state failed to act promptly — they deserve support. That’s what the West Shield is for. But let’s not forget the Suwałki Shield or the entire eastern border — there are entrepreneurs there too. We are in contact with business owners near the Polish-Lithuanian border, and a shield should be activated there immediately as well,” Morawiecki said.

He recalled the various support programs (known as “shields”) launched during the Law and Justice (PiS) government.

“Whenever there were disasters, we offered help to the people. Just look at what’s happening in Lower Silesia. People are still calling me — I visited many times after the flood — saying they’re sleeping in mold-infested containers, unable to return to their homes. The cities still look like they were hit by carpet bombing. That’s what government inaction and helplessness look like,” he pointed out.

“Today, we are facing a major issue on the western border. The number of jobs is falling dramatically. In many towns, unemployment is looming large. These shields are urgently needed. We have ready-made solutions. We know how to implement them — we left these projects behind and they just need to be used as-is. Illegal migration strikes at our security, our national identity, and our budget,” he added.