Poland Parliament Votes to Exit Anti-Landmine Treaty
(MENAFN) Poland’s parliament has taken a decisive step by approving a contentious bill to withdraw from an international treaty banning the use and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines, triggering strong backlash from human rights advocates and Nobel laureates worldwide.
On Wednesday evening, the Sejm, Poland’s lower legislative chamber, overwhelmingly backed the measure, with 413 lawmakers voting in favor, 15 opposing, and three abstaining, according to a public broadcaster.
This legislation initiates Poland’s formal departure from the Ottawa Convention, a pivotal treaty established in 1997 in Canada and ratified by Poland in 2012 to prohibit landmine production and use.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz defended the decision, emphasizing its necessity for the country’s security: “Poland must not be put in a straitjacket that prevents the defense of our homeland."
The timing aligns with similar considerations by Finland and the Baltic states, which are contemplating withdrawal amid heightened security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While these nations are at various stages of legislative action, official notification to the United Nations is required to complete the withdrawal process.
The Ottawa Convention, formally known as the Mine Ban Treaty, was crafted to eliminate the deadly and indiscriminate harm caused by anti-personnel mines, which have long inflicted civilian casualties worldwide.
In response, a coalition of 100 Nobel Peace Prize winners—including former Polish President Lech Walesa—issued a statement this week, urging Poland and its neighbors to reconsider, cautioning that landmines remain “relics of a bygone era” that “kill and maim indiscriminately.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed alarm: “I am very concerned by announcements by several UN member countries to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention."
"We must uphold humanitarian norms & accelerate mine action. The protection of innocent lives depends on our collective action & commitment," he declared on X.
The bill now moves to the Senate for additional review. If passed, it will be sent to President Andrzej Duda for final approval.
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