On Saturday, the head of the Ministry of National Defence met with the soldiers of the Multinational Battlegroup eFP NATO on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of Poland's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance.

“The soldiers of the Polish Army, side by side with the soldiers of the United States, Great Britain, Romania and Croatia, here on Polish soil, keep us safe. They build interoperability through exercises. (...) They are able  to ensure the security of our Homeland in a difficult and  dangerous situation. Soldiers of the North Atlantic Alliance countries train together, they have been on a many missions. It is extremely important for our future, it is extremely important that the next generations can live in a free country, that they can cooperate with each other, and that they can develop” - said the minister.

“I would like to thank the soldiers for their daily service, both here in Bemowo Piskie and in the south-eastern part of our country. Thanks to this service, Poland is safe and the countries of NATO's Eastern flank are safe” - emphasized the head of the Ministry of National Defence.

Poland became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance on March 12, 1999. For 23 years our position in NATO has been constantly growing and Poland is perceived as a credible and reliable ally. Polish soldiers actively participate in NATO missions and military operations, they also serve in the structures of NATO's Forward Presence on the Eastern flank - in Latvia and Romania.

“We are grateful for the presence of allied troops in Poland, but I would also like to emphasize that Poland is not only a recipient of the security provided by the North Atlantic Alliance, but we are also active in ensuring the security for our allies. That is why soldiers of the Polish Army serve in Latvia, Romania, on missions of the North Atlantic Alliance - wherever there is such a need” - emphasized the head of the Ministry of Defence.

There are elements of the NATO structure on the territory of Poland - in Szczecin, Elbląg, Bydgoszcz and Kraków. Thanks to regular exercises with allied countries, the Polish Armed Forces are fully interoperable and meet NATO standards, and our country, as one of the few members of the Alliance, invests in its own capabilities through defence spending of over 2.3% of GDP.

“The task of the Polish authorities is to create conditions for the Polish Army to be strong, for the Polish Army to be equipped with modern equipment, this is happening. 2015 was a particularly breakthrough year. Since then, the number of units of the Polish Army has increased, especially in the east of our country” - Minister Blaszczak noted.

A Multinational Battlegroup is stationed in Bemowo Piskie as a part of the eFP (Enhanced Forward Presence) initiative with the USA as a framework nation. In addition, allies from Romania, Great Britain and Croatia serve there. On a daily basis, the group cooperates with the Polish 15th Mechanized Brigade. As with the other eFP Battlegroups in Europe, its operations are coordinated by the Multinational Division North East in Elbląg.

During the meeting with the soldiers, Minister Mariusz Błaszczak also emphasized the issues related to building a strong and modern army.

“Yesterday, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland approved Homeland Defence Act. It is a very important document, it is an act that provides the foundation for the further development of the Polish Armed Forces. If you hear that someone says that the Polish Army should be small, but well-armed, remember that this is only part of the truth. It should be well armed, but should be numerous. No army, which is small, can be strong, and we want and strive for the Polish Army to be strong, so the Polish Army will also grow numerically” - emphasized the minister.

GALLERY>>23 years of Poland in NATO