The first emotions associated with the plans announced by the Ministry of National Defence for military training of reserve soldiers in 2023 have already subsided.
However, questions stay about the reasons for the decisions taken. The scale of the exercises to which about 200,000 reservists are to be invited may be astonishing. Persons from the alleged passive reserve who are not over 55 years of age and do not have wellness reasons for work are to be appointed. Exercises can last up to 90 days (although in most cases they are to be limited to 30 days). alternatively of wage for work, appointed reservists are to receive a wage from the army ranging from 2,85 % to 13,4 % of the soldier's lowest salary, presently amounting to PLN 4,560 per month. Only parliamentarians, councillors, government and local government executives and clergymen are excluded from the exercise.
What causes reservists to exercise on specified a large scale and in specified a short time? It should besides be added that military training entails crucial costs which will should be incurred during the economical and energy crisis – at a time erstwhile major budgetary cuts happen in many another sectors. I think there might be 2 explanations for that decision.
First, – it may mean more or little far-reaching plans to supply armed assistance to Ukraine in the war against Russia. specified a possibility, though seemingly the most obvious, seems unlikely. As a NATO associate State, we cannot make decisions about participating in the war ourselves. In respective cases, both the Pact Command and the U.S. administration have been slowing down the urges of our authorities towards more active forms of assistance to Ukraine. It seems that both the United States and the United Kingdom (and so the core of NATO) are more afraid that the conflict in Ukraine should be surrounded by a tiny but long-term flame than it escalated into neighbouring countries, including NATO associate States.
The second possible justification for the plan of universal reservists exercises could be to further reduce democracy in Poland and transform our country into a de facto authoritarian state. For a long time, Poland has become an increasingly oppressive and hostile country for citizens. This was evident already during the COVID-19 pandemic, erstwhile the speedily issued regulations had more power than the laws, not to mention the Constitution. A number of absurd injunctions and bans have been introduced overnight, justifying the state of widespread threat of epidemic and concern for citizens' health. It was in the "health care" of citizens that they decided to take distant constitutional rights, including paradoxically the right to wellness protection enshrined in Article 68 of the Polish Constitution. It is crucial to remember that thousands of patients who have not been given medical attention in time have lost their lives due to the paralysis of the wellness care strategy due to the covid panic. I don't even mention violating another civilian rights and freedoms on the basis of covid rules.
At present, the same state of emergency can become a "Russian threat". Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the psychosis of fear has been increasingly escalated. We are constantly bombarded with information about the Russian invasion of Poland. This threat is partially delusional and partially provoked by the unreasonable policy of unconditional support of the Ukrainian side. It should be stressed that maintaining an external threat is beneficial for the ruling party, as it distracts attention from interior problems, especially socio-economic problems. However, in the event of further deepening of the crisis and possible social protests, it cannot be excluded that the ruling organization will come up with the thought of "suspension of democracy" justifying this emergency or a state of higher necessity. It may happen that 1 day there will be no "telean" on television, and the Constitution and the laws will replace regulations and decrees. Of course, to the glory of our homeland and to the good of our citizens. In emergency situations, the function of the military is highly important. On the 1 hand, the military can be utilized to suppress protests, and on the another hand, any unruly or reluctant citizen can be incorporated into the army, even under the pretext of military training.
As is widely known, conventions and customs are established in the military. 1 of them is the phenomenon of the "waves" and the tradition of the alleged "catting" of conscripts. This involves a variety of activities to make the recruits (so-called “cats”) miserable. The impression may be that akin practices have been applied to citizens for a long time. Why should the announcement of universal training of reservists serve? In the event of a war, will reservists, after 30 days of training, become full-fledged soldiers who can effectively defend our borders? Or is it just the "cat" mentioned? To the glory of our homeland, of course, and to the good of our citizens!
Michał Radzikowski
Think Poland, No. 1-2 (1-8.01.2023)
