After information was published about the possible location of American military infrastructure in Bolesławiec, a soldier contacted our editorial office and pointed out the need to verify the information precisely. In a conversation with a journalist, he referred to specific provisions of the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the United States of America.

The documents show that although the name Bolesławiec appears in the agreement, it refers to the broadly understood training ground in Żagań together with several military complexes in the region. However, key investments—including the US Armored Brigade Combat Team base—were explicitly assigned to Świętoszów.

The annex to the agreement lists specific infrastructure elements that are to be built or are already under construction. These include, among others:

  • a military station with a capacity of up to 4,800 people,
  • a brigade complex with a command headquarters,
  • barracks and mess halls,
  • fuel storage facilities and logistical support,
  • a railway siding and an extension of the railway line.

All these elements were designated for a location in Świętoszów, not in the city of Bolesławiec. The source told our editorial office that public statements may have involved a simplification—the use of the name of a larger city to describe the area of the entire county or region.

“There will be neither a base nor a command headquarters in Bolesławiec. This is clear from the agreement. You only need to look at the annexes,” the soldier emphasized, encouraging readers to study the documents themselves.

At the same time, he pointed out that the scale of the investment in Świętoszów is already visible on the ground, including along access roads and in new technical infrastructure. In his view, preparations have been progressing consistently for several years.

Against this background, questions arise about whether local governments are prepared for the effects of such a large military presence in the immediate vicinity of Bolesławiec. This concerns not only security issues, but also transport, housing, public services and healthcare.

So far, there is no information that the Mayor of Bolesławiec, Piotr Roman, or the Bolesławiec County governor, Tomasz Gabrysiak, have publicly addressed the provisions of the EDCA agreement and the potential consequences of stationing several thousand soldiers in Świętoszów.

We sent questions to the Ministry of National Defence and local authorities, referring directly to the provisions of the agreement, in order to clarify unambiguously the scope of the investments and their significance for the region.

What do the ministry and the county office explain about the location of US Army soldiers in Bolesławiec?

We received the first response from the Ministry of National Defence.

Under the EDCA agreement, a United States Armed Forces unit operates in Bolesławiec. Key infrastructure elements are being built in Bolesławiec County. To meet the infrastructure needs of American forces in Bolesławiec, barracks, storage buildings and yards have been designated. We carry out ongoing maintenance and renovations of the infrastructure, in accordance with the scale of the reported needs. We regularly provide information on investments carried out for the benefit of American forces.

Department of Communication and Promotion of the Ministry of National Defence

The next response came from the Bolesławiec County Office:

The Bolesławiec County Office has not conducted analyses of the EDCA agreement’s provisions in the context of the impact of investments in Świętoszów on Bolesławiec County—no information on this matter exists. The county has no information concerning the planned number of soldiers and civilian employees who would be present in the region. A meeting is planned, whose purpose will include coordinating activities aimed at accelerating the implementation of BOF road infrastructure as a defence-related task carried out under the Act on the Government Roads Development Fund, as well as developing appropriate courses of action to achieve the planned objective. In this regard, the county cooperates with the Ministry of National Defence, the military and neighbouring local governments.

Emilia Michałowska, Bolesławiec County Office

Mayor Piotr Roman did not respond to the inquiry.