Opposition leader slams coal subsidy bill

Donald Tusk, leader of Poland's main opposition party, Civic Platform (PO), has criticized the government decision to offer a one-off allowance of PLN 3,000 (EUR 636) for all households with coal-fired heating.

On Friday, the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, passed a draft law to this effect and now it will have to be approved by the Senate, the upper house.

Earlier, the lower house rejected amendments proposed by the opposition, which extended the subsidies to households with pellet, oil, gas, LPG and electric heating and limited to households with a per-capita income not exceeding the 2021 average wage.

Tusk said on Tuesday that the proposed law on the coal allowance is "grossly unfair" as it provides support only to people who heat their houses with coal.

"Aid should go to everyone, including, for example, people who have invested in solar power," he said and added that his party would table an amendment to the bill in the Senate.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that by this Thursday a bill on various support mechanisms for heating sources other than coal will be ready.