The Digester

Poland secured a €44bn allocation under the EU SAFE rearmament loan programme, but President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the law to create the national financing instrument on 12 March, prompting Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government to say it will seek ways to use the loans despite legal and political risks.

The EU SAFE programme awarded Poland the largest share, €44bn, to fund 139 defence projects including air defence, cyber operations, and heavy equipment production.
President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the SAFE financing law on 12 March, arguing that EU rules requiring at least 65 percent of contracts go to European suppliers could limit purchases from the United States.
Nawrocki proposed using returns from Poland's 550 tonne gold reserves to finance defence, a plan supported by central bank governor Adam Glapiński but dismissed by the government and some analysts as unrealistic.
The Tusk government says it will press ahead to access SAFE funds despite the veto, a step critics call potentially unconstitutional and one that could expose officials to prosecution before the State Tribunal.
Recent polls show a majority of Poles view the presidential veto negatively, with surveys reporting between roughly 52 and 57 percent critical of the decision.
The European Commission said the veto is not the expected scenario but remains ready to work with Warsaw, and Hungary will still be eligible to access about €16bn under SAFE.

Tusk comes up with a Plan B, after Polish president vetoes historic defence spending law

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