The new Defence Attaché Col M. Wojcik graduated from the NATO Defence College in Rome (Italy); he has experience of serving with or commanding various military units of NATO and Poland.
The ceremony held at the Ministry of National Defence was attended Vice Minister of National Defence Marijus Velička and Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Lithuania HE Mr Jaroslaw Czubinski.
Defence cooperation with Poland is crucial for the security of both, Lithuania and the entire region. Lithuania is developing intense relations in defence area with Poland since 1993.
Poland is one of the most active participants of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission. Fighter jets of the Polish Air Force have already been deployed 6 times since 2005 to Šiauliai Air Base.
Lithuanian and Polish Armed Forces are developing a persistent cooperation among headquarters, military education institutions and military units of various levels. After a long-term cooperation Lithuania and Poland established LITPOLUKRBRIG, a joint brigade with Ukraine, in 2013. When this project was implemented the trilateral brigade became an important instrument of regional defence cooperation.
Lithuania and Poland cooperate in developing Article 5 capabilities as part of NATO Defence Planning Process and in planning joint exercises in the region. The most significant and successful Article 5 exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 was held on the soil of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. Poland has been taking part in Exercise Amber Hope organised by Lithuania since 1995, and other exercises, such as Maple Arch, Jackal Stone, BaltOps.
Since 2003 Lithuania has been contributing to the activities of Multinational NATO Corps Northeast (MNCNE) in Szczecin, Poland, the nearest NATO corps to Lithuania which was deployed to Afghanistan twice. Currently there are 8 Lithuanian officers posted to the MNCNE.
Military cartography services of Poland delegate representatives to annual Baltic Military Cartography Conferences, the 20th conference is planned to take place in Lithuania at the end of this year.