President: No direct terrorist threat to Poland - News - National Security Bureau

12.01.2015

President: No direct terrorist threat to Poland

Poland is not directly threatened with acts of terror like those which took place in France, but the state must get prepared for such possibility, according to President Bronislaw Komorowski. He chaired debates of the National Security Council (RBN) on Monday.

The Council heard reports from head of the PM's chancellery Jacek Cichocki and Interior Minister Teresa Piotrowska. Commenting these reports, Komorowski said that "although there is no immediate threat of the kind (of events) which happened in France, we must -and do- activate these state systems, including a review of the legal regime, which can enable a better preparedness of the Polish state for crisis events of a terrorist character that can take place in Europe in future."

Replying to questions from newsmen after the meeting, secretary of the Council Stanislaw Koziej admitted that the report delivered by Jacek Cichocki touched upon the question of Poles active in ISIS operations. He gave no further details.

The Council also discussed tasks for the year 2015 stemming from the government program of strengthening Poland's security adopted last December. Activities planned for this year and presented by Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak reflected "the current security situation which changed for the worse as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," said Komorowski.

"We are now at the stage of activating concrete programs aimed at increasing the power of resistance of the Polish state to threats and at creating additional capabilities," the president went on.

These aims will be furthered by "big tenders for military equipment to be decided later this year and programs that will engage the potential of the Interior Ministry in favour of the country's defences."

Tenders for supplies of new multi-purpose helicopters and for air defence system will be decided this year.

The Council also discussed exercises to be staged in order to test the operation of Poland's military machinery and "the functioning of the state in conditions of potential crisis," Bronislaw Komorowski added.

RBN is an advisory body to the president and is composed of speakers of both parliamentary chambers, the prime minister, deputy PMs, foreign and interior ministers and party leaders.

 

Source: president.pl; PAP