Latest news with #WładysławKosiniak-Kamysz
Euractiv
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
Polish minister says join police, not vigilantes
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on Tuesday called on those who wish to "defend Poland's borders" to join official services amid escalating border tensions and a rising number of self-organized vigilante patrols. 'There are 1,500 vacancies in the Border Guard,' he said during a speech in the Sejm, Poland's lower chamber. 'Everyone who wants to serve Poland, everyone who wants to protect our borders, is welcome - whether in the Border Guard, the Territorial Defence Forces, or the Police.' The minister's comments come at a time of mounting tensions along Poland's western frontier with Germany. Polish authorities accuse Berlin of pushing migrants back into Poland, with far-right groups mobilizing around the issue on the ground to 'defend the border'. These include Straż Narodowa (National Guard), Patrioci Przeciwko Islamizacji Europy (Patriots Against the Islamisation of Europe), and the recently formed Ruch Obrony Granic (Border Defence Movement), which presents itself as a grassroots initiative but is linked to nationalist and ultra-conservative networks. These groups have organized citizen patrols along the German border and claim to be filling a void left by the state – though critics warn of vigilantism and potential human rights abuses. While Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted a drop in illegal crossings from Belarus – down to 800 in 2025 from 12,000 in 2023 – he flagged a shift in migration routes toward Latvia and Lithuania through Belarus. The minister noted a 25% drop in visas issued under the current government and described new border policies as part of a broader 'philosophy of border protection'.
Euractiv
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
Poland rejects joint border patrols with Germany
WARSAW – Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (PSL, EPP) has rebuked Germany's idea of conducting joint border checks. Poland recently introduced controls on its borders with Germany and Lithuania as a reaction to an inflow of irregular arrivals from Lithuania and to reports that German was sending illegal migrants to Poland. In response, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU, EPP) proposed that Warsaw and Berlin implement joint border controls. But that drew the ire of the head of Poland's Ministry of National Defence. 'No, no! There will be no joint patrols,' Kosiniak-Kamysz told TVN24. 'On the German side, there are German patrols; on the Polish side, there will be Polish ones. The minister from Germany will not tell us what to do in Poland. With sympathy, with respect, but we will protect Polish borders [ourselves].' Meanwhile, under the umbrella of the 'Border Defence Movement' – newly-established by far-right activist Robert Bąkiewicz – so-called 'citizen patrols' have been organised on Poland's western borders in recent days. According to the organisation, these patrols aim to hinder illegal migration. In response, Kosiniak-Kamysz stated on TVN24 that Polish borders are protected by Polish services, and there is no need for any paramilitary formations in those areas. He added that impersonating officers is a violation of the law and should be punished. The 'citizen checks' also met with condemnation from security experts. "If someone wants to protect the border, we invite them to join the Border Guard," Kosiniak-Kamysz said, emphasising that "Germany has withdrawn from its long-standing practice of admitting migrants into its territory'.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Poland, Baltic states eye new submarines, attack boats to deter Russia
WARSAW, Poland — Poland and the Baltic states are accelerating efforts to acquire new submarines and vessels that will broaden their capabilities suitable for the sea's shallow waters. In Poland, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the country's deputy prime minister and defense minister, has said his ministry aims to order between three and four new submarines for the Polish Navy until the end of this year. The planned procurement, which is pursued under the Orka (Orca) program, is deemed urgent, as the country's naval forces rely on a single Soviet-designed submarine, the Kilo-class ORP Orzel, whose outdated technology and equipment makes it incompatible with the requirements of modern naval warfare. While a number of countries are competing to secure the potential order from Warsaw, the ministry has disclosed that its experts assigned the highest scores to the offers placed by Germany, Sweden and Italy. In 2023, Poland unveiled that 11 entities took part in a market consultation. Known competitors include France's Naval Group, German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Italy's Fincantieri, Spain's Navantia, South Korea's Hanwha Ocean and Hyundai, Sweden's Saab, and the U.K.'s Babcock. A spokesperson for the Polish ministry told Defense News that, while three offers have received the highest scores from the Polish Armaments Agency, the military's procurement arm, the remaining submarines have not been discarded amid ongoing talks with foreign governments. 'Currently, government-level talks are being held. Following the decision of the Technical Modernization Council, the Armaments Agency will take steps with the aim to acquire these submarines,' the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Latvia and Lithuania have joined forces to buy multipurpose attack boats from Finnish shipbuilder Marine Alutech. Under the Common Future Multipurpose Attack Craft (CFMAC) program, the shipyard is to develop and deliver combat vessels based on the Watercat M18 design to the two Baltic States' militaries. 'This contract is the second step after the 2024 Technical Agreement between Latvia, Lithuania and Finland to strengthen regional defense. Under this contract, Lithuania will acquire two advanced Fast Multirole Attack Crafts from Marine Alutech,' the Finnish shipbuilder said in a statement. A spokesperson for the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence told Defense News the two multirole attack craft that are to be built for the country's Navy will be integrated into the Coastal Defense Battalion. The acquisition 'will significantly enhance Lithuania's naval defense capabilities. These vessels will feature advanced combat systems, including Spike NLOS missile launchers and a remote heavy machine gun control system, which will enable them to engage both maritime and land-based targets effectively,' the ministry's representative said. 'Furthermore, the boats are specially designed for operations in shallow waters, allowing them to perform missions in areas such as the Curonian Lagoon, where conventional vessels may struggle. This unique design and propulsion system will ensure that Lithuania can maintain a rapid response capacity for a variety of threats, ranging from asymmetric warfare to traditional defense operations,' the spokesperson added. The vessels are scheduled to enter service in the Lithuanian Navy in late 2026. 'The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has plans to further expand and modernize naval capabilities in the coming years. Between 2030 and 2037, Lithuania is preparing for a progressive modernization of its naval fleet,' said the ministry representative. 'This initiative will include the acquisition of new multirole offshore patrol vessels, which will be equipped with advanced capabilities to address evolving security challenges.' Based in Teijo, on the Finnish Baltic Sea shore, Marine Alutech says that its shipyard has built more than 500 vessels since 1985.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland intercepts Russian plane actions of which posed a threat
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on Thursday 22 May. Source: Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said this during a press conference on Friday 23 May, RMF24 quoted, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kosiniak-Kamysz said that on the evening of Thursday 22 May, the Allied Command Operations of NATO forces in Europe ordered another Polish pair of fighter jets to intercept a Russian Su-24 bomber. He said that the Russian aircraft was carrying out dangerous manoeuvres in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. "These actions were deliberate and posed a threat," the minister said. Kosiniak-Kamysz reported that Polish pilots were able to detect, intercept and effectively push back the Russian aircraft. The Polish defence minister also commented on Russia's frequent provocations in the airspace near NATO's borders – especially due to the geographical location of Kaliningrad Oblast, from where Russian aircraft often fly without transponders switched on, without submitting flight plans and without contacting air traffic control. "We are resilient to provocations, but we react decisively, both independently and within the framework of the Alliance," Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed. Background: On 21 May, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that a Russian shadow fleet vessel had made suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland and Sweden. A few days ago, the Estonian Navy attempted to stop the tanker Jaguar, which was passing through international waters in the Gulf of Finland towards the port of Primorsk. The vessel is believed to belong to the Russian shadow fleet. According to available information, the tanker's crew refused to comply with the Estonian border guards' instructions, and the vessel left Estonian territorial waters. In response to the actions of Estonian forces, Russia sent a fighter jet, which, according to Estonia, violated the country's airspace. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland launches military operation after provocations by Russian warplanes over the Baltic
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has announced the launch of a new military operation to strengthen security and control over the airspace in the Baltic region, given provocations by Russia. Source: European Pravda, citing Polish news agency PAP Details: During the ceremony of conferring general ranks on Friday, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that in response to incidents involving Russian aircraft in the Baltic region, the Polish Armed Forces launched a new operation. The operation, which began this week, has deployed additional planes and helicopters to patrol Polish airspace in the north. PAP, citing unofficial information, says the operation involves, among other things, the transfer of additional military helicopters from different regions to bases in the Baltic Sea region and the border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast. "This is a response to the threats we're dealing with, in particular incidents involving us or our allies - the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe," the Polish defence minister said. NATO air forces are currently taking part in the ongoing Baltic Air Policing mission, rotating aircraft to protect the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which do not possess their own air forces. Background: In April, Swedish Gripen fighter jets, which began patrolling NATO airspace from Poland, were scrambled for the first time due to the presence of a Russian warplane. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
