New defence minister to draft Air Force report

Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak. Photo: Wojciech Kusinski/PR

Siemoniak, who was handed the ministerial post at the beginning of August following the resignation of Bogdan Klich after the publication of Poland’s report over the crash, said that the document will aim to clarify what actions had been taken since the publication of Interior Minister Jerzy Miller’s report into the accident.

“I have commissioned a report which aims to show what has been done in the Air Force after 10 April 2010, and whether the problems whether the Air Force’s problems stipulated in Jerzy Miller’s report have been solved,” he said, adding that his new deputy, Czeslaw Mroczek will be in charge of implementing the suggestions made by the upcoming report.

“We shall see what the situation looks like,” Siemoniak said.

The Polish report into the Smolensk crash, which was published on 29 July, caused a number of changes to the Polish Army, including the liquidation of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment.

Talking to Polish Radio Tuesday morning, Minister Siemoniak stated that the decision to disband the regiment was a difficult one, although the decision to create a special force with the use of aircraft used by the national carrier, LOT, and helicopters, is “pragmatic”.

The Defence Minister added that only with the cooperation of all politicians can positive change be implemented in Poland’s armed forces. (jb)