Sikorski hits out at Musk after Starlink decision: 'We may reconsider paying for your services'

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has sharply criticized Elon Musk's decision to remove Poland from Starlink's European mobile service region. Sikorski directly addressed Musk, proposing a stark choice: either SpaceX ceases discriminating against Polish users, or Poland will reconsider its annual payment of $50 million for the satellite internet service.

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Hey, Elon Musk. Big man, stop discriminating against Polish Starlink users, because we may reconsider paying you $50 million a year for your services.

Sikorski's remarks come in response to SpaceX's unexpected move, which has sparked outrage among thousands of Polish satellite internet users. The new guidelines require customers registered in Poland to report foreign travel and undergo verification. After 30 days abroad, they must purchase significantly more expensive subscription plans, ranging from 460 to 650 Polish zlotys per month.

Notably, these restrictions do not apply to subscribers in 35 other European countries, including neighboring Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Germany. This disparity has led to accusations of unequal treatment.

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Poland is not a second-class market. Polish customers are not second-class customers.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitization Krzysztof Gawkowski also addressed the issue, urging Musk to promptly restore equal rights for Polish subscribers. He emphasized that Poland is not a second-class market and its citizens should not be treated worse than other Europeans by a global tech company. Various hypotheses circulate regarding the motives behind SpaceX's decision, with industry analysts suggesting it could be an attempt to tighten equipment distribution or a response to Poland's significant role in supplying Starlink terminals to Ukraine.

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I do not agree that a global technology company should treat Polish women and men worse than other Europeans.