Poland
Mine Action
Contamination and Impact
Poland remains contaminated by large quantities of explosive remnants of war (ERW) and, to a much lesser extent, mines from World War II. Poland has consistently stated there are no known or suspected mined areas in Poland.[1] The Ministry of National Defense has reported that scattered “single” landmines, mostly antivehicle mines, are found emplaced but most of those destroyed are remnants of World War II stockpiles.[2] Poland is not believed to be affected by cluster munition remnants.
Mine Action Program
Poland does not have a formal civilian mine action program. The army conducts clearance operations of former military facilities and in response to reports from the general public under a 2002 Ministry of National Defense order as well as other guidelines. Polish deminers have also engaged in demining abroad as part of UN or other multinational operations.[3]
Land Release
Poland does not report formally on its clearance of mines or ERW.[4] A total of 39 explosive ordnance disposal teams and two scuba-diver underwater deminer groups operated in 2009. These teams carried out 7,264 interventions concerning explosive or dangerous objects, destroying as a result a total of 375,141 pieces of ERW and mines. The following items of ordnance were destroyed: 1,819 antivehicle and antipersonnel mines (of which more than 80% were antivehicle mines); nine aerial bombs, five submarine bombs; 863 artillery and mortar missiles; six hand and antitank grenades; 121 mortar grenades; and 372,318 other munitions.[5]
In addition, the Polish police retrieved 1,411 pieces of ERW in 2009. These were mostly ERW dug up and stockpiled by criminal groups. A total of 44 mines (37 antipersonnel and seven antivehicle) were uncovered and destroyed in 2009 during searches of these stockpiles.[6]
[1] See, for example, Voluntary Article 7 Reports (for calendar years 2008 and 2009), Form C.
[2] See, for example, Voluntary Article 7 Report, Form C, 14 April 2008; letter from Grzegorz Poznanski, Deputy Director, Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 May 2008; letter from Tadeusz Chomicki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 22 March 2006; and interview with Col. Marek Zadrozny, Ministry of National Defense, and Col. Slawomir Berdak, Polish Armed Forces, in Geneva, 8 May 2006.
[3] See for example, CCW Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, 23 September 2009; and Statement of Poland, Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 4 December 2009.
[4] See, for example, CCW Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, 23 September 2009.
[5] Letter from Adam Kobieracki, Director, Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 8 April 2010.
[6] Ibid.