Massing the troops
Defense Minister Radosław Sikorski, industry employers and unions have signed a set of agreements and worked out a timetable to bring Poland's arms industry up to speed. This means the arms industry will receive government support - both financial and political - to help facilitate the consolidation of the sector. This is in line with the 'Intergovernmental Regime Stimulating Competitiveness of the European Defense Market', a European Defense Agency (EDA) program.
"We looked into long-term, pro-development policies," said Minister Sikorski, which will mean "reserving funds for research programs and developing new Polish technologies." The Minister is also looking for governmental approval for a "consolidation and support program for the Polish arms industry for the years 2006-2010."
Arms-industry unions have been pushing particularly hard for this consolidation plan. Stanisław Głowacki, president of the National Arms Industry section in NSZZ Solidarnoć, argued that it is unacceptable to have 28 different Polish companies in the arms market.
"This agreement had a painful birth and is not exactly what we had dreamed of, but the plan is very realistic," said Głowacki. "Polish unions did not ask for better wages, because we are now fighting for our future and survival in Europe. This timetable is a preliminary element for several actions that must be put in place to prevent the Polish arms industry from disappearing from the European market as an important player."
Roman Baczyński, president of Bumar, stressed the necessity of the Defense Ministry's supervision over the arms industry in Poland, as all Bumar's foreign partners are defense ministries in different countries. According to Deputy Economy Minister Tomasz Wilczak, the consolidation process of Poland's arms market will be completed by 2010.
