Modernising the Polish army will cost over PLN 550 billion (USD 155 bn, EUR 130 bn) over the next 14 years, Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said on Tuesday.

"The Strategic Defence Review carried out this year of the armed forces... has shown the need for reorientation and technical modernisation of the Polish army," said Macierewicz.

“This reorientation will require spending of over PLN 550 billion over the next 14 years,” he added.

He cited an old maxim: “If you want peace, prepare for war.”

Macierewicz was speaking while opening the 25th International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, south-central Poland.

Amid fears of a threat from Russia, its giant neighbour to the east, Poland plans to increase defence spending steadily to reach 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2032, Poland’s deputy defence minister Tomasz Szatkowski recently told the Reuters news agency.

Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said earlier this year that Poland is one of only four NATO countries that meet the military alliance’s target of allies spending at least 2 percent of their GDP on defence.

(pk)

Source: PAP