The World Association of Home Army Soldiers condemned insults against the Polish uniform. They called the behavior of the leader of the largest opposition group, who has tied the apolitical Polish army to electoral politics, reprehensible. This was in reference to remarks attributed to Donald Tusk.
The Minister of National Defense, Marusz Błaszczak, posted on the X platform on Thursday:
Scandal. Yesterday on Polsat, Tusk described the Territorial Defense Forces as paramilitary. He also deprecated soldiers who assist in border protection, pandemic response, flood relief, or searches for the missing. This is another sign that if Tusk’s coalition returns to power, the Territorial Defense Forces will be disbanded. Let’s prevent that from happening.
Position of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers
The World Association of Home Army Soldiers addressed the issue on Friday, reacting to the program +Guest of Events+ broadcast on October 11 this year by a major national channel in which the Territorial Defense Forces were labeled paramilitary. The association stated its indignation and opposition to any insult to the Polish soldier’s uniform. They called the leader of the main opposition group’s involvement of the apolitical army in the electoral campaign reprehensible.
The union noted in a statement that WOT soldiers have consistently supported veterans since the formation’s onset. They highlighted that assistance has come both as an organization and as individuals. The Territorial Defense Forces are portrayed as a valuable asset not only for veterans but for society at large, having played a crucial role during the pandemic and, more recently, alongside border guards in protecting the homeland’s frontiers.
The association emphasized that the Territorial Defense Forces, under the agreement with the World Association of Home Army Soldiers and the Territorial Armed Forces Command, serve as steady guardians of the memory of the heroes who formed the Polish Underground State. They expressed gratitude for veterans’ welfare commitments fulfilled five years ago and called on all political actors to conduct themselves with dignity and to reject hate-filled rhetoric during the campaign.
The statement also noted the ongoing collaboration between the association and the Territorial Armed Forces and stressed the continued commitment of WOT soldiers to the promotion of national memory and veteran welfare.
On Tuesday, President Andrzej Duda appointed Lieutenant General Wiesław Kukuła as Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army. Previously, Kukuła had been dismissed from the post of general commander. Kukuła is recognized as the founder and first commander of the Territorial Armed Forces. Major General Maciej Klisz was appointed Operational Commander of the Armed Forces by the President, effectively replacing him in command of the territorial forces.
The head of the PO commented on Wednesday on Polsat News that generals were surprised that those who should govern the entire army emerge from the Territorial Defense Forces. The PO leader cited comments from General Waldemar Skrzypczak, former Army commander, who said on TOK FM that he would not want career decisions to hinge on fears of using the army against Poland should elections not go as planned.
Later in the program, Tusk was questioned about the criticisms by Generals Kukuła and Klisz of their trajectories within the WOT. This prompted reflections on the origins and evolution of the Territorial Armed Forces, with some noting the notable influence of prior leadership on these developments.
In this context, one observer argued that no one in recent decades has left as much impact on national security and defense as Antonia Macierewicz, making concerns about the sector understandable.
kk/PAP