Dr. Andrzej Mochoń, president of Targi Kielce Sp. z o.o., the organizers of MSPO, talked to Tomasz Hypki.

You contributed to reviving the tradition of meetings between government representatives and CEOs from Poland’s defence industry. Everyone is offering their congratulations. It was a successful meeting, wasn’t it?

The Ministry of the Economy played a major role in preparing the meeting. Minister Dariusz Bogdan as well as Tadeusz Pyrcak, director of the Department of Defence Matters, were both very committed. The initiative had the support of deputy ministers: of the Treasury, Krzysztof Łaszkiewicz, and of National Defence, Zenon Kosiniak-Kamysz. I am convinced that we have revived a significant tradition, of importance for the whole of Poland’s defence sector.

But that’s not all. The conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also very important. The ministry’s representatives presented the official principles for exporting Polish weaponry for the first time. These rules will have a major impact on the development of our defence industry. That’s another good beginning to the new tradition.

Świętokrzyski University organized an interesting conference. I’m glad that MSPO is becoming a venue for important debates and reflections on the security not only of Poland but also the world. In two or three years, this place should be just as important for the defence sector as Krynica is for discussions on the economy.

Is MSPO also developing economically?

The exhibition is growing, and this is sure to continue in successive years. But the entire Targi Kielce exhibition complex is developing, and its surroundings as well. It’s enough to look at the two new hotels in our vicinity for example.

Early in 2010, we plan to build a roof over the space between the main halls. The exhibition complex will be a huge construction site in the coming years. One important goal is to set up a Congress Centre for 1,700 people within the complex.

This year Sweden was the Lead Nation at the exhibition. What about next year?

We are holding talks with a major country in Southern Europe, important in the armaments sector; however, I cannot officially say which country. Diplomacy has its requirements.

I think next year’s exhibition will be very interesting, especially since the Polish defence industry’s contacts with the country in question are intensifying.

What will MSPO 2009 be like?

The decision on the professionalization of Poland’s armed forces is of key importance for the character of our exhibition in the coming years. The event will be visited by more people in uniform, who will demand even more from suppliers. Hopefully by that time the artificial barrier between industry representatives and the military, formed in recent years, will be reduced. Our exhibition will try to help achieve that.