At noon, the “No to SAFE” demonstration organized by the Clubs of Gazeta Polska began outside the Presidential Palace. “Today we are in no way convinced that SAFE is support, and we are convinced that it is an attempt to strip us of our sovereignty”, said Beata Dróżdż, head of the Gazeta Polska Club in Piotrków Trybunalski.
From early morning, patriots from various parts of Poland had been heading toward the Presidential Palace. A large group of demonstrators gathered on Krakowskie Przedmieście, led by the Gazeta Polska Clubs. Those present held banners reading “SAFE is not safe,” “SAFE means German bondage,” “No to SAFE, yes to Poland,” and “SAFE is the Germanization of profits and the Polonization of losses.”
“Today we are in no way convinced that SAFE is support, and we are convinced that it is an attempt to strip us of our sovereignty. Poland wants to remain in the EU, but it wants to be a sovereign and independent country. We oppose the conditionality and the uncertainty that results from SAFE. We must think about future generations so that they can live in a safe country and not repay unknown liabilities, in fact to Germany”, Beata Dróżdż, chairwoman of the Gazeta Polska Club in Piotrków Trybunalski, said in an interview with TV Republika.
Last week, the Polish Sejm passed the Act on the Security Enhancement Financial Instrument SAFE, submitted by the Minister of National Defence. The bill is intended to enable Poland to use funds from the EU’s SAFE program. Not as a “gift,” but as a long-term loan with a variable interest rate. Poland applied for a loan exceeding €43.7 billion, nearly 200 billion złoty.
The government is pushing the bill through parliament at record speed. Yesterday, the Senate debated it and introduced four amendments. Ultimately, however, senators from Law and Justice (PiS) voted against adopting the loan act, arguing that the principle of conditionality is unacceptable while simultaneously forcing the Polish army to purchase equipment exclusively on the European market.