Radosław Sikorski on 12 August called on Elon Musk to halt discriminating Polish Starlink users and recalled $50 million of yearly payments for services. As of 17 August, Poles utilizing Starlink Roam are to cover additional formalities on abroad trips.
Starlink puts Poles in a worse position
Radosław Sikorski, head of the MFA, addressed Elon Musk straight on 12 August after information about the fresh Starlink Roam rules. According to Interia, the minister wrote to the owner of SpaceX to halt discriminating Polish users, due to the fact that Poland may reconsider paying $50 million a year for its services. That's strong words, but it's bigger than the net in the motorhome.
According to Business Insider Polska, the Minister of Digitization Krzysztof Gawkowski requested SpaceX to reconstruct equal principles. The thing is, since 17 August Polish customers Starlink Roam to have additional responsibilities: to study travel, to verify papers and formalities not provided for customers from many another European countries.
In practice Poland has been omitted from services in the European mobile region. Among the countries covered by the common rules are Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, France, Spain, Italy, Romania and Norway. Poland, NATO's front country and 1 of the main countries supporting communications for the fighting Ukraine, was outside this list. It's hard to consider a method trifle.
The state can't be a corporation.
Gawkowski wrote that Poland is not a second-class market. He's right about that. A global technology company can sale a service, set rules and run its own business. However, it cannot treat Polish customers any worse, and then cover itself with generals about "local regulatory requirements", unless it indicates circumstantial regulations.
There's a bigger problem here. Over the years, Western elites have argued that private technology will solve everything faster and more efficiently than the state. War, cybersecurity and communications infrastructure show something else. Whoever controls the strategy has power over access conditions. If Poland pays large money for services and at the same time its citizens are set in a worse line, the government has a work to respond.
The Starlink case besides has a safety dimension. DN late described that Starlinki besides appeared on matters concerning Russian activities in Ukraine. This shows that we are talking about infrastructure of war significance, not just a talk for travelers. Poland must have its own hazard assessment and its own leverage tools.
$50 million and the question of dependency
Sikorski, reminiscent of $50 million a year, hit a delicate point. The payments for Starlink's services were presented as an component of assistance to Ukraine and support for communications during the war. Aid makes sense erstwhile it strengthens Poland's safety and weakens Russian pressure. But it cannot make a situation where a private supplier acts like a player above the state.
Polish aid to Ukraine has a cost to talk of fairly. DN has prepared separate summary of the scale of Polish aid UkraineBecause the public has a right to know the bill. Sovereignty is not about closing your eyes before spending. It is that the state spends money erstwhile they service Polish security, and contracts give Poland respect and predictability.
In this sense, the ministers' appeal is simply a test. If SpaceX treats Poland worse than another European countries, Warsaw must request clarification and equal conditions. If the translations are regulations, they must be indicated. If this is simply a business decision, the government has the right to usage the argument of contract, money and the market.
Lesson for Warsaw
There is no free state without control over key infrastructure. Satellite connectivity, cybersecurity, energy and citizen data cannot depend solely on the humor of the grand owner of the platform. Poland needs partnerships with technology companies, but partnership does not mean surrender.
The Starlink case should be a cold shower for all ruling team. You can work with Musk. You can buy a service if you request it. However, alternatives must be built, European and own, and at the negotiating table talk the language of state interest. Poles are not second-class clients. Poland is not an addition to the map of Europe.
Source: Interia, Business Insider Poland, RMF FM.
Source: Interia Events
