The Polish Ministry of National Defence is working on a draft bill designed to enable the state to move more swiftly towards full defence readiness even before martial law is formally declared. According to Rzeczpospolita, the document is intended to bridge the legal gap between the country’s normal functioning in peacetime and a situation of imminent military threat: the proposed mechanisms include the pre-emptive deployment of Polish and allied troops to critical areas, the preparation of infrastructure, and closer coordination of Polish defence planning with NATO’s response system. The draft is currently undergoing internal consultation within the Ministry of Defence.
- The Polish Ministry of Defence has confirmed that it is working on a new law on the country’s defence readiness.
- The document is intended to regulate the state’s actions even before martial law is formally declared.
- Plans are in place to enable the early deployment of Polish and allied troops to key areas.
- There are plans to link the Polish Defence Response Plan more closely to the NATO Response System.
- The draft is currently undergoing internal approval within the Ministry of Defence; the date on which it will be tabled in the Sejm is not yet known.
Why does Poland need a new law?
Pros. data Rzeczpospolita: The Ministry of Defence has drawn up a draft bill on the country’s defence readiness. The Ministry confirmed to the publication that work on the document was indeed underway and explained that its aim is to strengthen Poland’s defence capabilities, improve coordination between the armed forces and internal security agencies, and adapt legislation to contemporary threats, in particular hybrid attacks, cyberattacks and disinformation.
One of the key issues the law is intended to address is the fragmentation of the current rules across various government decrees. Some of the provisions explicitly define the tasks and powers of public authorities, which is why officials in Warsaw believe it would be more appropriate to enshrine such provisions in law.
A source at *Rzeczpospolita*, with links to the presidential circle, described the future system as the state’s preparation for a kind of «pre-war situation». This is not the official name of the new constitutional regime, but rather a description of the period between the peaceful functioning of the state and the formal imposition of martial law.
Troops will be able to redeploy in good time
One of the practical implications of the new law is expected to be the ability to redeploy forces more quickly to areas that could become critical in the event of a sudden deterioration in the security situation. This applies to both Polish units and allied forces.
The project must also provide for the development of the necessary infrastructure and link the Polish Defence Response Plan with the alliance system NATO Response System. This should reduce the time between a political decision to increase readiness and the actual implementation of military and administrative measures.
Separately, there are plans to expand the range of organisations included in the permanent on-call system, to clarify the role of civilian staff at command posts, and to amend the rules governing non-military operational planning, defence exercises and the training of officials.
In effect, this involves establishing a legal framework that will enable some defence measures to be implemented before the situation calls for the formal imposition of martial law.
There are already two levels of defence readiness in Poland
In March 2025, the Polish Government had already revised the defence readiness system. The three previous regimes were replaced by two: a state of constant defence readiness and a state of full defence readiness.
The standing regime is in force in peacetime and covers planning, training, warning systems, standing duty arrangements and preparations to counter hybrid threats.
Full defence readiness may be declared in the event of an external threat to Poland’s security or during a war. It enables the implementation of measures necessary for mobilisation and the full deployment of the defence system. The current regulation has already laid the groundwork for such a transition; however, the new law is intended to regulate in greater detail the powers of institutions and the procedures that are currently scattered across subordinate legislation.
Poland is speeding up its defence procedures
Work on the draft bill is taking place against the backdrop of a wider review of the Polish security system. At the end of September, the Minister of Defence Vladislav Kosinyak-Kamysh announced the introduction of faster procedures air defence response to air threats. In particular, the new rules are intended to reduce the time taken to make decisions in the event of an airspace violation.
Poland is also stepping up its civil defence efforts. In the east of the country, shelters are being restored and modernised, whilst local authorities and services are preparing for scenarios involving missile, drone and hybrid threats against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
These measures do not mean that the Polish authorities have declared that war is inevitable. The NATO Secretary-General Mark Rütte On 30 September, he stated that the Alliance did not see any immediate military threat to NATO territory, although the allies continue to strengthen their defences due to long-term risks posed by Russia.
The bill has not yet been submitted to the Sejm
The Polish Ministry of Defence emphasises that work on the document is at an early stage. The draft is currently undergoing internal approval, so the final text is still subject to change.
The agency has also not specified when the document will be submitted to the government and subsequently to parliament. According to Rzeczpospolita, the Polish National Security Bureau is also awaiting the draft bill.
Therefore, the focus at present is not on introducing a new regime, but on preparing a legal framework which, in the event of a sudden escalation, would enable Warsaw to bring state institutions, infrastructure and the armed forces to a higher state of readiness more swiftly.
