Polish Service Chiefs Resign
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Polish Service Chiefs Resign
Polish Government Rocked by Resignations of Several Generals
WARSAW — The surprise resignations of several key Polish generals have rocked the new conservative government, which is facing a barrage of criticism at home and abroad over a host of controversial reforms.
“Five generals have submitted their resignations over the last few days,” Szczepan Gluszczak, spokesman for the general command of the Polish armed forces, told commercial television channel Polsat on Friday. The generals quit just as tensions run high with Poland’s Soviet-era master Russia. The resignations came months ahead of a large NATO exercise in Poland, as well as the Western defense alliance’s next summit, set for July in Warsaw.
It is the latest hurdle to trip up the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party that came to power in October after eight years in opposition. The PiS has introduced controversial reforms giving the government more control over the constitutional court, state media and other institutions in a move that has alarmed the European Union and inspired street demonstrations. Critics also say the new government has weakened the economy and two global ratings agencies have responded with warnings.
Gluszczak did not specify who had resigned, but local media reported that the generals in question included joint staff chief Ireneusz Bartniak and the commanders of land forces, the navy and the armored and airborne forces. “We have (the) Anaconda (exercise) coming up and the NATO summit in Warsaw, and here we have commanders, the captains of the ships, fleeing,” Deputy Defence Minister Bartosz Kownacki said Friday, according to Polish news agency PAP. He did not say why the generals had quit, but former Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said “it’s just the beginning of the end. The atmosphere is very bad” in the army.
Local media are speculating that the resignations could be in response to recent announcements by new Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz, who is on a crusade to stamp out all traces of the communist era. Macierewicz wants to block promotions of servicemen who joined the army before the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, especially those who attended military schools in the Soviet Union.
WARSAW — The surprise resignations of several key Polish generals have rocked the new conservative government, which is facing a barrage of criticism at home and abroad over a host of controversial reforms.
“Five generals have submitted their resignations over the last few days,” Szczepan Gluszczak, spokesman for the general command of the Polish armed forces, told commercial television channel Polsat on Friday. The generals quit just as tensions run high with Poland’s Soviet-era master Russia. The resignations came months ahead of a large NATO exercise in Poland, as well as the Western defense alliance’s next summit, set for July in Warsaw.
It is the latest hurdle to trip up the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party that came to power in October after eight years in opposition. The PiS has introduced controversial reforms giving the government more control over the constitutional court, state media and other institutions in a move that has alarmed the European Union and inspired street demonstrations. Critics also say the new government has weakened the economy and two global ratings agencies have responded with warnings.
Gluszczak did not specify who had resigned, but local media reported that the generals in question included joint staff chief Ireneusz Bartniak and the commanders of land forces, the navy and the armored and airborne forces. “We have (the) Anaconda (exercise) coming up and the NATO summit in Warsaw, and here we have commanders, the captains of the ships, fleeing,” Deputy Defence Minister Bartosz Kownacki said Friday, according to Polish news agency PAP. He did not say why the generals had quit, but former Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said “it’s just the beginning of the end. The atmosphere is very bad” in the army.
Local media are speculating that the resignations could be in response to recent announcements by new Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz, who is on a crusade to stamp out all traces of the communist era. Macierewicz wants to block promotions of servicemen who joined the army before the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, especially those who attended military schools in the Soviet Union.
Last edited by ORAC; 6th Mar 2016 at 20:15.
I am aware that the last time Law and Justice was in power they opened up the files which showed the way the Communists had treated Polish citizens who said anything wrong against them.
In relation to the changes the Govt introduced it was in reaction to the outgoing Govt stuffing the Constitutional court to ensure that their supporters could stop anything the New Govt was doing.
Clearing out any Military officer with connections to Communists is risky as you lose the experience BUT any still around are in their later 40's at a minimum and maybe its time to clear out and protect the state.
In relation to the changes the Govt introduced it was in reaction to the outgoing Govt stuffing the Constitutional court to ensure that their supporters could stop anything the New Govt was doing.
Clearing out any Military officer with connections to Communists is risky as you lose the experience BUT any still around are in their later 40's at a minimum and maybe its time to clear out and protect the state.
firstly, you'd have to be something of an idiot, and remarkably ignorant of Polish politics, to believe that the over-45's cohort would be under some kind of nostalgic longing for the return of Mother Russia, and secondly you'd have to perhaps the greatest moron who ever walked the earth to believe that it might be a good idea to purge your entire armed forces of everyone over Lt-Col level.
everyone in Poland over the age of 45 has significant conections to the Communist era - thats one of the foundations of that type of government.
there is no nostalgia for the old days that i've ever seen, and least of all in the military.
really?
firstly, you'd have to be something of an idiot, and remarkably ignorant of Polish politics, to believe that the over-45's cohort would be under some kind of nostalgic longing for the return of Mother Russia, and secondly you'd have to perhaps the greatest moron who ever walked the earth to believe that it might be a good idea to purge your entire armed forces of everyone over Lt-Col level.
everyone in Poland over the age of 45 has significant conections to the Communist era - thats one of the foundations of that type of government.
there is no nostalgia for the old days that i've ever seen, and least of all in the military.
firstly, you'd have to be something of an idiot, and remarkably ignorant of Polish politics, to believe that the over-45's cohort would be under some kind of nostalgic longing for the return of Mother Russia, and secondly you'd have to perhaps the greatest moron who ever walked the earth to believe that it might be a good idea to purge your entire armed forces of everyone over Lt-Col level.
everyone in Poland over the age of 45 has significant conections to the Communist era - thats one of the foundations of that type of government.
there is no nostalgia for the old days that i've ever seen, and least of all in the military.
