A new dimension in the security of Poland

Abstract

At the end of the 1980s, a process of systemic transformation began in Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries. That international situation prompted an opportunity to build new national security structures within Poland. At that time, Tadeusz Mazowiecki became the Prime Minister of the Polish government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was managed by Krzysztof Skubiszewski for over four years, and during that time, Skubiszewski had many successes. A new quality of the Polish security policy was created. The Third Polish Republic has regulated relations with its nearest neighbors, although they are not friendly with everyone. Today, none of Poland’s neighbors question the country’s borders. Since 1999, Poland has been recognized as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). From the very beginning, NATO was an important component of the Polish security policy. In 2004, Poland joined the European Union (EU), which opened new possibilities for the country. The aim of this article is to present the changes in the security policy of the Third Republic since the political transition in 1989 to Poland's accession to NATO and the EU. To achieve this, the author analyzed selected materials and presented his own assessments. New directions of the security policy of the Third Polish Republic are highlighted.