Government to allocate 3% of GDP for defense - Macierewicz

Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz has announced that Poland must allocate at least 3 percent of GDP for "effective and independent defense of Polish territory." "Expenditures on the army require at least 3 percent of GDP in order to rebuild it [the army] to such an extent that it would be effective and independent. And we will try to implement it via social programmes that have been launched, and budget possibilities resulting from the new economic dynamics by PM Beata Szydło and the PiS [Law and Justice] government," Macierewicz declared. According to the official, the current budget allows to cover expenditures of up to 120,000 soldiers. Recently, the Defense Minister proclaimed that the Polish army must count at least 150,000 soldiers "as a minimum," and will aim to reach this number during his tenure.