Ukrainian and Georgian Journalists Study the Polish Security Transformation

September 25, 2008

Ukrainian and Georgian journalists check out a police helicopter at the Regional Police Training Center in Rzeszow

Ukrainian and Georgian journalists talked with Polish diplomatic leaders, journalists and academics about NATO and Polish security issues during a one-week summer school program for Journalists in Rzeszow and Krakow. The program was co-organized by the Higher School of Law and Administration in Rzeszow, the foundation Partnership for Democracy and the U.S. Consulate. Journalists heard from former Polish NATO Ambassador Jerzy Nowak about the Polish road to NATO and Poland’s role in NATO today. They also had a demonstration from the provincial police’s antiterrorism unit of a helicopter intervention in terrorist activity and a robotic bomb disposal unit. Polish experts also held discussions with the journalists on energy security, military modernization and public security. From Brussels, the journalists talked via teleconference with Janusz Onyszkiewicz, former Defense Minister and current European Parliament Deputy Minister and Robert Pszczel, NATO deputy press spokesman. Both officials stressed that NATO participation was voluntary and it was up to Ukraine to ensure there would be public support for Ukrainian accession. Participants also heard about coordination between police and customs on cyber terrorism prevention. Polish media also met with the journalists to talk about how to cover conflicts and security issues.