Companies from the ammunition domain of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa have submitted applications for the EU ASAP program for a total amount of 11 million euros, PGZ announced in a press release on Monday.
As explained, the amount of the requested grant resulted from the need to ensure co-financing of the investment from own resources. One of the three applications, for an amount of 2.1 million euros, was approved by the EU Qualification Commission, resulting in Poland receiving 20 percent. the total amount requested.
It was reported that the resources would be largely allocated to the automation of production processes at Dezamet SA. In accordance with EU requirements, the applications were submitted in secret and therefore it is not possible to make their detailed provisions public.
The ASAP program is one of the available sources of financing for a rapid expansion of ammunition production capacity, for which PGZ companies apply for financing. The main source of financing for the expansion of the production potential of the PGZ ammunition domain remains the government program of the National Ammunition Reserve worth PLN 2 billion. PGZ companies are waiting for the release of the first tranche of these funds
– added.
The European Commission decided on Friday to make 500 million euros available to arms companies to increase the production capacity of artillery ammunition. This is aimed at supplying more missiles to Ukraine and replenishing the stocks of European Union countries.
The EC’s decision is intended to enable the European defense industry to increase its production capacity to 2 million missiles per year by the end of 2025. Currently these capacities are estimated at just over 1 million per year. The money goes to companies such as Rheinmetall, Nammo, Chemring Nobel, Hellenic Defense Systems, Eurenco and others.
In addition, they are intended to stimulate additional investments from the business community through co-financing, which is expected to translate into a total investment amount of approximately 1.4 billion euros.
The beneficiaries include one company from Poland, the Dezamet plant, belonging to Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, which will receive approximately 2.1 million euros from this pool.
Besides Poland, EU funds go to companies in other EU countries and Norway, the list of which is published by the European Commission. For example, German companies will receive approximately 85 million euros, Norwegian 87.6 million euros, Hungarian 27 million euros, Finnish 32.5 million euros, French 38 million euros, Spanish 23.8 million euros and Swedish 19 million euros. There are also consortia of companies from several Member States and Norway that will benefit from this money, for example the Italian-French-Norwegian-Finnish-Latvian consortium will receive approximately EUR 41.3 million.
Błaszczak’s entry
Former Defense Minister, PiS MP Mariusz Błaszczak, wrote on the X platform on Saturday:
Donald “King of Europe” Tusk arranged the full 0.42 percent for Poland. from the EU ammunition production programme. The European Commission’s initiative is correct and necessary. But why does Poland receive only about 2.1 million euros of the 500 million euros transferred to European arms companies to increase production of artillery ammunition?
– asked Błaszczak.
He added that German companies will receive around 85 million euros and Hungarian companies 27 million euros.
Janusz Sejmej, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, responded to this submission on Saturday.
Mr Błaszczak: we have exactly as many subsidies for ammunition production as you left in the Polish arms industry
– he said.
The fact that only one of our companies wins should be a shame for you, because offers could be submitted for 2 months from October 2023 and you personally registered to participate in this program in March 2023. So the program was announced during the term of PiS government!
– pointed to the Sejm.
It was worth it to take care of our businesses and not focus on the constant replacement of CEOs. Today we are experiencing the consequences of this. Of the three companies that applied for the ASAP program, only one qualified. This is the picture the Lord leaves behind
– summarized the spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense.
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mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce