Universal and compulsory military training, voluntary tax contributions for defense, payments for reservists’ “readiness,” allocating part of bank profits to the armed forces, and a reform of the Government Security Center — these are among the proposals presented by Law and Justice (PiS) politicians during their “Thinking Poland” policy convention to strengthen Poland’s defense system.
Mariusz Błaszczak, head of the PiS parliamentary club and former defense minister, stressed the urgent need to repair the Ministry of National Defense’s finances.
“The current collapse is a consequence of the disastrous rule of the December 13 coalition. We must restore the proper functioning of the Armed Forces Support Fund, which has been paralyzed due to the actions of the finance minister,” he said.
He presented a recovery program in this area, emphasizing that military pensions should be paid by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), not from the defense budget.
Another proposal put forward by Błaszczak is to allow every citizen to allocate 1.5% of their taxes to the military, similar to how taxpayers can support public benefit organizations.
“Poles are generous. In times of danger, we must give them that opportunity,” he noted.
Błaszczak also called for a ban on using the defense budget for non-defense purposes, pointing out that many funds are currently diverted, for example, to civil defense, which should instead be financed through the Interior Ministry.
According to Błaszczak, excess profits from banks should go to the state budget, with a significant portion earmarked for defense.
“Altogether, that would provide over 20 billion złoty annually for defense,” he calculated.
Another new idea he presented was the creation of an “Active Reserve” — a financial incentive system for reservist training. He proposed a tax-free allowance of 800 złoty for “readiness” and stated that reservist training should take place at least three times a year. He also suggested establishing an Inspectorate for Reserves within the General Command of the Armed Forces.
Błaszczak also emphasized the need for a new model of civil defense. Under the proposal, the Government Security Center (RCB) would be transformed into a central public administration body with branches in every county, responsible for civil defense, coordination with local governments, and ensuring effective communication and emergency procedures.
He further announced legislative measures to prioritize Polish-made military equipment in defense procurement, with a strong focus on drone technologies.
“This will put into practice the slogan: Polish army, Polish equipment,” he declared.
Universal and Compulsory Military Training
PiS politicians and experts also discussed the concerning decline in Territorial Defense Force recruitment.
Former defense minister Antoni Macierewicz argued that a universal, mandatory year-long military training is essential.
“Let’s not be afraid to raise this issue,” he urged.
He was supported by former deputy defense minister and MEP Michał Dworczyk, who pointed to lessons from the war in Ukraine.
“The war has changed the battlefield. The role of drones today is far greater than five or ten years ago when we made modernization decisions. We’ve transferred much of our equipment to Ukraine. New hardware is arriving, but to achieve full combat readiness, time and training are needed. We don’t have reserves trained for Abrams or Korean tanks — and that’s deepening the problem,” he said.
According to Dworczyk, the war in Ukraine proved that “wars are won by reserves.”
“In Poland, we must rapidly build them up. The only solution is universal, compulsory military training — modern and appealing to young people, implemented not only by the army but also by private firms under military supervision. Every citizen must accept that a short part of life should be devoted to serving the homeland,” he emphasized.
Dworczyk also presented additional reform ideas, including a new transparent system for selecting military leadership, flattening command structures, and opening the defense industry to private firms, along with restructuring Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ).