New gov't plan will help Poland catch up to the West – coalition leader

Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of Law and Justice, who is regarded as Poland's most powerful politician, has told the Sieci weekly that the New Polish Deal programme will allow Poland to catch up with the West.

In an interview to be published on Monday, Jarosław Kaczyński, who is also a deputy prime minister in Poland's Law and Justice dominated government, expressed his hope that people will have a positive reaction to the programme which, in his opinion, is good and "will improve the lives of most citizens."

The New Deal, which was unveiled on Saturday, sets out plans to overhaul of the country’s health, tax and social services in a bid, according to the government, to reinvigorate post-pandemic Poland. It also calls for significant investment in infrastructure projects.

Critics, however, have said it will hit the country's middle class and businesses with painful taxes, and that it will take power away from local governments.

"It's worthwhile to take a broader look at the New Polish Deal," said Kaczyński. "It increases the chances that the 77 percent of the European average of GDP per capita, which we already have today, according to EU data for 2020, will be quickly increased to the level of approximately 100 percent. It will allow us to strive for more, in order to catch up with the western part of the EU."

He added: "To maintain growth, we have to make up for our shortcomings and weaknesses, increase or even acquire expertise in the areas of modern technology and the defense industry. There is a huge deficit here, because, in 1990, not only did we start out at a low level, but later governments allowed for the destruction of these competences in many areas."

"We must make a strong move forward," he stated.