The issue of potential confiscation of a car by uniformed officers in the face of an armed conflict is explained by the spokesman of the Central Military Recruitment Center, Capt. Michał Gełaj. He emphasizes that "such situations may concern the systemic collection of information resources, planned maneuvers, as well as combating natural disasters and eliminating their effects."
"The army is looking for vehicles with a specific specification"
The key term here is the register of benefits in kind, which serves the military to keep an overview of the resources available in the event of a real conflict or crisis, he said, adding that "contrary to widespread fears, we are not dealing here with confiscation, i.e. permanent taking away of property without compensation."
It is rather a form of forced lease, carried out in special situations. The army most often looks for vehicles with a specific specification that can support logistics or transport in difficult terrain - said a spokesman for the Central Military Recruitment Center.
The website biznesinfo.pl, which describes the case, points out that registering a car at a military base does not mean that an officer will appear in front of the house the next day with the keys in his hand. However, it imposes specific information obligations on the owner. This includes: the need to notify the authorities about the sale of the vehicle as well as its permanent damage.
This means that civilian mobility becomes an "integral part of the state defense system" in critical moments.
Regulation of the Ministry of National Defense
The portal, citing the content of the regulation of the Minister of National Defense, points to a significant change that was introduced this year. 192 cars, 26 trailers and 15 machines may be confiscated. It is worth noting that this is four times more than in the previous year. However, there is no question of an upward trend, characteristic of a symmetrical reaction to the increasing threat to state security.
Biznesinfo.pl reminds that in 2024 the limit was as many as 570 vehicles. Moreover, the decision to provide vehicles to the army is not based on the principle: the army gives an order and the citizen must obey it. "The decision to allocate a car for defense purposes is issued by a local government administration body - a commune head, mayor or city president," writes the portal. But even then, the owner of a car selected for confiscation has the right to appeal within 14 days.
Although, in the face of the escalation of the conflict in the East, it may seem that the prospect of transferring a vehicle for use by the army is gaining in probability, it should be remembered that this type of situation is rare.
