PROVOCĂRI LA ADRESA SECURITĂŢII ŞI STRATEGIEI LA ÎNCEPUTUL SECOLULUI XXI

For the first time, such an important document as the National
Security Strategy, stated that the role of Polish Armed Forces is not only
related to the assurance of the security of Poland, or to the execution of the
Alliance commitments, but also to the protection of Polish interests and the
enhancement Polish position in the international arena. It is completely new
way of the perception of the role of Armed Forces and their place in the
state security policy. That change will bring far-reaching consequences. The
importance of the Poland’s position in NATO, and soon in EU, will depend
in high degree on our efforts and potential that we will contribute to the
above structures. The size, organisation and assets of the armed forces will
be continually adapted to the defence requirements, allied and international
commitments and the social-economic potential of the State. Polish Armed
Forces participate in consolidation of the international order by sharing
military stabilisation operations, mainly as part of the United Nations,
OCSE, and NATO, as well as ad hoc coalitions. They have the obligation to
prepare and maintain an expeditionary force capability for crisis-response
and peacekeeping operations, both in and out of Poland.
The essence of the new type threats is that their origins often reside
in geographically remote places. However, these threats can materialise on
the territory of our country and spread abroad in uncontrolled pattern.
Assuring the citizens security and protection of the national property and
borders, increasingly comes within the remit of institutions and services
acting in the sphere of internal security of the State.
For this reason, the internal aspect of the State security grows in
significance. The tasks of the State institutions within this sphere include:
strengthening of the public order and the institutions that enforce it;
measures against common and organised crime so as to improve the
citizens’ sense of security; protection of the population against the threats
and consequences of natural disasters, ecological catastrophes and
biohazards such as unidentified and incurable disease epidemics; assurance
of the efficient and effective protection of the State borders in compliance
with international regulations, especially arising from our membership in the
EU.
The tasks related to the assurance of the internal security of Poland
is also realised by special services, including intelligence and
counterintelligence. The Police will execute the basic tasks, ensuring
security of the citizens. The critical infrastructure, including
telecommunication infrastructure, should be protected in particular. Fighting
the threats posed to the government information systems and networks is
within the area of responsibility of specialised units established by the
civilian and military services of the State.
Poland might face a rising challenge of mass migrations from poor
and underdeveloped countries, population flows that are increasingly
precipitated by conflicts, political repression, the “failed states”
phenomenon and environmental devastation. The mounting “migration
pressures” will add the fuel to the process of the illegal smuggling and
trafficking of people. Prevention of these tendencies is especially important
in the light of the Polish integration with EU, as the protection of our
borders will be the protection of EU borders at the same time. These are the
main tasks of the Border Guard.
The Security Strategy shows, that to be effective, it must be assured
a strong social-economic backup. A healthy economy is currently one of the
basic guarantees of the national security. The democratic stability and
security of the State must rest on firm economic and civilisational backup
which, on the one hand, condition of the provision of resources for the
security policy in its external aspect and, on the other hand, generate the
necessary components of the State’s stability, national identity and
civilisational vitality, and they constitute the premises for its international
position as a desirable ally and partner.
The indispensable level and stability of expenditures on the
national security has to be assured. The financial aspects of the national
security require that the public authorities pursue a policy of enduring
economic growth, adaptation and streamlining of legal regulations to
strengthen the public finance discipline and effective use of public funds.
State authorities have to develop the right regulatory regime for the money
flows in foreign trade and the disclosure of funds coming from crime. A
stable economic growth and technological progress are among the key
factors of assuring the security of the State in general, and they represent
indispensable components of the national defence capability. Activities
conducted in order to maintain Polish infrastructure at the proper level are
one of the conditions to ensure an adequate defence capability. In the
coming years, the State will have to step up its efforts to modernise the
transport infrastructure, including: the construction of roads and highways,
sustainable development of the railway transport, construction of airports
and airfields as well as of the navigation system, changes in the structure
and volume of cargo handling in the sea and inland shipping, the land-sea
transport and logistics flows.
The education of the society is an essential condition of a
democratic stability and enduring security of the State in a world
characterised by accelerated processes of modernisation and globalisation.
The State will provide conditions for improvement of the general and
specialist education for the Polish society to ensure our contribution and a
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