The government plans to use SAFE funds for French military equipment, instead of choosing a Polish satellite manufacturer, warns Confederation MPs. This comes in the wake of the recent signing of a €43.7 billion loan agreement under the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program to fund 139 defense projects.
At a press conference on Thursday, MPs Witold Tumanowicz and Krzysztof Szymański revealed disturbing information regarding a planned contract for a satellite system for the Polish military from a French company, with the contract worth more than €2 billion.
The loan agreement under the EU’s SAFE program was previously signed by Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Minister of Finance Andrzej Domański.
Tumanowicz says there are also serious questions regarding the price, suggesting that Poland may be seriously overpaying, reports Do Rzeczy. He also asserts that a Polish company is available that could undertake the project at a much lower cost.
“Experts say we’ll pay €600 million for the satellite alone, but the market price is apparently around €300 million, so we’re already overpaying,” MP Tumanowicz pointed out.
“However, when it comes to leasing a satellite position, an orbital position, from the French, we will be paying €1.5 billion, while the French side will probably pay €150 million, a tenfold increase,” he added. The politician added that he had not yet received a clear answer from the defense minister.
MP Szymański also took the floor, emphasizing that Poland has its own manufacturer and doesn’t have to spend the money in France. He also noted the enormous costs and noted that the Polish offer is much more advantageous than the French one.
“Polish industry is paramount in this type of project,” Szymański emphasized. “It must be stated clearly that the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Interior and Administration, and the Polish Space Agency have had a Polish alternative for two years—a cheaper and better one.”
“The planned contract with the French side only concerns leasing space in orbit, while the Polish offer involves owning this geostationary position, along with an operational satellite, along with legal regulations from the ITU, the International Union for Telecommunications,” said the parliamentarian.
Noting the drastic difference in price, Szymański asked: “And does the government, or anyone from the government, look at whether they’re interested, whether they even opened this offer? Because they differ so much in favor of the Polish offer that either someone isn’t doing their job, or someone is stupid.”
Pointing out that the French company in question is also heavily burdened with debt, he added: “It is simply the height of irresponsibility to bind Poland with a multi-billion contract, such an obligation with an entity that is simply financially weakened.”
In April 2026, Poland signed an industrial agreement with Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and Polish partner Radmor to develop a geostationary defense telecommunications satellite for the Polish Ministry of Defence. It is unclear what company the MP was pointing to when mentioning debt levels.
SAFE is a Brussels-backed loan program that seeks to help member states boost their military capabilities while procuring equipment from EU providers. However, this can lead to purchases by member states ending up with other countries, i.e., not with domestic, in this case, Polish, companies.
Polish conservatives, including President Karol Nawrocki, have been firmly opposed to SAFE, deeming it a tool for EU centralization.
The European Union is looking to boost militaries across the bloc as it deals with the ongoing war in Ukraine, uncertain U.S. support for NATO, turmoil in the Middle East, and fears by some member states of an emboldened Putin.
