Polish Government Launches SAFE Defense Program via Resolution to Bypass Presidential Veto

The Polish government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk implemented the SAFE defense program through a Council of Ministers resolution on March 13, 2026, effectively bypassing a previous veto by President Karol Nawrocki. The resolution, described by the cabinet as a Plan B, was officially published in the Monitor Polski to allow the program to proceed without the need for the blocked legislation. The SAFE initiative, also known as Polska Zbrojna, focuses on national security projects including the establishment of an anti-drone system on the Polish-Belarusian border. Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed the presidential opposition during a public appearance on Friday. „I will handle it” — Donald Tusk via polsatnews.pl

President Karol Nawrocki, who has been in office since August 2025, criticized the government's decision to circumvent his constitutional authority as unacceptable. The president had earlier vetoed the SAFE legislation following calls from the opposition to prevent what they described as an excessive financial burden from EU defense loans. In response to the government's resolution, the president issued a formal appeal to the Speaker of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty. Officials within the Polish Presidency maintained that the move to launch the program via resolution rather than statute undermines the legislative process. „Próby obejścia weta w sprawie Safe są niedopuszczalne” (Attempts to circumvent the veto on Safe are unacceptable) — Karol Nawrocki via Do Rzeczy

The SAFE program represents a central pillar of the current administration's defense strategy, relying on international financing to accelerate military modernization. Beyond the border anti-drone shield, the program encompasses various classified defense projects intended to strengthen Poland's eastern flank. The political dispute over the program's funding and implementation has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures who labeled the resolution a scandalous breach of law. The SAFE program was conceived as a response to increasing hybrid threats on Poland's eastern border and the need for rapid military technological upgrades. Historically, major defense acquisitions in Poland were funded directly through the national budget, but the shift toward EU-backed loans marked a change in fiscal strategy. This conflict marks one of the first major legislative standoffs between the Tusk administration and President Nawrocki since the latter's inauguration in 2025.

The implementation of the program via resolution allows the government to begin allocating funds and initiating tenders immediately, despite the lack of a signed bill. Supporters of the move argue that national security requirements necessitate swift action that cannot be delayed by political disagreements between the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and the Presidential Palace. The Speaker of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, has not yet issued a formal response to the president's appeal regarding the legality of the government's Plan B. SAFE Program Conflict 2026: — ; — ; —