Mariusz Błaszczak made the remark in the eastern city of Chełm on Sunday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The defence minister took part in an oath-taking ceremony for soldiers who had voluntarily enlisted in the Polish army.
Błaszczak congratulated and thanked them for their decision, saying: “We are building a strong Polish Army, and one of the ways to boost the Polish army is the voluntary basic military service.”
“This new form of military service was created by the new homeland defence law,” he added.
Błaszczak, who is also a deputy prime minister, encouraged young people to enlist voluntarily in the army, saying that those on voluntary service earned PLN 4,560 (EUR 962) a month.
"They also have an opportunity to earn their driver’s licence, parachute licence, diver’s licence and machine operator’s licence," Błaszczak said.
Up to 15,000 troops on voluntary service in Polish Army this year
By the end of 2022, the army can expect to receive up to 15,000 soldiers on voluntary basic military service, Błaszczak told reporters.
He added that Polish soldiers “are equipped with modern weaponry and train with troops from allied countries.”
“Together we are looking after the security of Poland and other countries on NATO’s eastern flank,” Błaszczak said.
He reiterated that Poland would later this year receive the first batteries of the US-made Patriot anti-ballistic missile system, as well as tanks and self-propelled howitzers from South Korea.
Błaszczak told the gathering that the Polish Army would "especially strengthen its artillery units." This is because Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had shown that “artillery plays a key role on the battlefield,” he said, as cited by the PAP news agency.
Monday is day 159 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, gov.pl