“Today, I invited Minister Mariusz Błaszczak to this ceremony. Minister, thank you for not yielding to those who said that acquiring F-35 aircraft was, on the one hand, megalomania, while on the other hand others wanted to include terminating this contract in their election program. The minister did not bend…” said President Karol Nawrocki during the ceremony in Łask. In this way, he recalled the disgraceful words of Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who at the time was an opposition politician.
The first modern F-35 fighter jets, whose purchase was contracted during the rule of Law and Justice (PiS), have already arrived in Poland.
The current head of the Ministry of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, had previously been critical of the purchase of these aircraft, while the ministry he now leads has organized ceremonial flyovers under the slogan “Welcome to Poland”.
“We must move away from projects that are an expression of megalomania and are not priority projects, such as the Central Communication Port or the purchase of F-35s” – this is how Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, then in opposition, described the idea of acquiring the aircraft.
Today’s event is accompanied by a highly unusual situation. As established by TV Republika, the “godmother” of the Polish F-35 Husarz aircraft is to be Paulina Kosiniak-Kamysz, the wife of the Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. The decision on selecting the “godmother” of the Polish F-35s is made by the Ministry of National Defence after consultations with military representatives – as determined by Niezalezna.pl.
In the past, the candidacy was also agreed with the Presidential Palace. This is how Maria Kaczyńska, the wife of then-President Lech Kaczyński, became the godmother of Poland’s F-16 fighter jets.
After 11:00 a.m., the official ceremony of accepting the F-35 into service with the Polish Air Force began at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask. The event was attended by President Karol Nawrocki, as well as invited former Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak.
During his speech, the president repeatedly emphasized how important the presence of F-35 aircraft is for Polish aviation. He also highlighted the immense significance of Polish-American relations.
The President thanks Błaszczak. He reminds Kosiniak of his words
At the end of his speech, the head of state said: “Taking this opportunity, I would also like to thank all those patriots who, dear ladies and gentlemen, in January 2020 did not yield to bad advice and knew that the strategic alliance between Poland and the United States is fundamental to the security of the Polish state”.
He mentioned, among others, the former head of the Ministry of National Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak, directing special thanks to him. Then he recalled the disgraceful words of the current Minister of National Defence, who just a few years earlier had criticized the idea of purchasing the aircraft.
“Today, I invited Minister Mariusz Błaszczak to this ceremony. Minister, thank you for not yielding to those who said that acquiring F-35 aircraft was, on the one hand, megalomania, while on the other hand others wanted to include terminating this contract in their election program. The minister did not bend, and today the new minister, Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz, can benefit from this and, for the good of the Republic, prepare this wonderful ceremony and carry out further tasks. This is how we should understand responsibility, strength, and the seriousness of the Polish state”.
In conclusion, he added: “Above all, I thank the Polish nation, dear ladies and gentlemen. The Polish nation and the national community for understanding what is good for the Republic, and the combination of Polish intellect, Polish willpower, Polish courage, the greatness of the Polish soldier and the Polish pilot with such an important partner as the United States will guarantee us security, strength, and mutual respect in the coming decades and centuries. May God bless Poland, may God bless the United States and the Polish-American alliance. Glory to Polish soldiers. Thank you very much!”.