Justice minister demands more coal extraction

Zbigniew Ziobro, the justice minister and leader of a small Eurosceptic party, has said the government should invest more in coal mining to reduce energy prices for Poles.

Ziobro and his party, Solidary Poland, strongly oppose the EU's green initiatives, including the phasing out of fossil fuels and a reduction in car use.

"Cheap energy from lignite and hard coal is the requisite for energy security and Poland's effective growth," Ziobro said at a press conference on Monday, adding that on Tuesday the cabinet will discuss a document "that will determine the development of our country's energy sectors for subsequent years.

"We don't agree with the further liquidation of Polish lignite or hard coal mining," he said. "We demand real investment from the state in this sector."

Ziobro went on to say that coal "guarantees our energy security, our energy sovereignty and it guarantees the cheapest electricity for Poles."

The European Union wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 per cent by 2030. Poland says it agrees with the EU's climate goals in general, but wants more time to transform its coal-reliant energy sector.