Morawiecki introduces 'Decalogue of Polish Issues'

Mateusz Morawiecki, the acting Polish prime minister, has unveiled a string of social policy proposals to be implemented by the next government.

The ruling socially-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) won the October 15 election but lost its parliamentary majority, thereby opening the door to three main opposition groupings to form a coalition government led by Donald Tusk, the leader of Civic Coalition, the biggest of the three parties.

But Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, has asked Morawiecki to form a new government although his chances of doing this are slim given that all the other parties have ruled out working with PiS.

However, at a press conference at the Warsaw Stock Exchange on Friday, Morawiecki presented a 'Decalogue of Polish Issues,' which consists of a number of proposals to be implemented by the government he hopes to form.

The plan covers measures to ensure stability for small and medium-sized companies, the development of energy security, higher wages and the economic transformation of Poland.

"Since Poles have voted for different parties, we have taken the most valuable elements from different programmes to build a 'Decalogue of Polish Issues,' programme pillars for the next four years, which can change the life of Poles in a very positive way, despite the big crises that still surround us," said the prime minister.

The first pillar of the 'decalogue' is to ensure the stability of small and medium-sized companies, Morawiecki said. It includes a moratorium on Social Security payments and support packages for companies hit by the global crisis.

The prime minister also referred to the two bills that PiS has sent to the Sejm, the lower house of Polish parliament, namely the extension of a mortgage moratorium programme, and zero VAT on some food products.

He stressed that the PiS proposals were consistent with the programmes of the other groupings, such as the Polish People's Party, Poland 2050, the far-right Confederation party and the left-wing New Left party.

The second pillar, Morawiecki said, is "the ambitious development of Poland and energy security." It includes the construction of the Central Transportation Hub (CPK), the development of container ports and the entire road network.

Under the new government, wages will be expected to increase to an average of PLN 10,000 (EUR 2,290) gross per month by the end of the upcoming term.

The final programme proposals involve laws on equal pay for men and women, and raising the tax-free amount.

Morawiecki's plans have been sharply criticised by Left and Poland 2050 MPs.

"Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki knows that he will not be able to form a government and has been creating a myth in order to become an opposition party," PAP was told later on Monday by Krzysztof Gawkowski, the head of the Left parliamentary caucus.

"(Morawiecki) has been treating this as a show and as a joke but not as a fight for a true government," he added.

Having described Morawiecki's proposals as "a coalition of Polish crafty guys," Gawkowski said that their only goal was to make money without a concrete plan for the future.

"Mr Prime Minister, it's time to stop being childish," Paulina Henning-Kloska, the co-chairwoman of Poland 2050, said in a remark to PAP.

Having stated that Morawiecki had had six years to build cooperation with the opposition and to implement its proposals, Henning-Kloska said that "it is us now who have a parliamentary majority."

"But you had no intention to meet with us, to have a talk, and to listen," she said, adding that "telling us that we are anti-Polish and anti-state" was Morawiecki's only way of communication with the opposition.

"We do not need Morawiecki today to build a majority as he had not invited any of us when he had the majority," the Poland 2050 MP concluded.