PM, ministers sum up first 100 days in office

PM Mateusz Morawiecki and his ministers in Warsaw on Saturday summed up the first 100 days of their government, including the implementation of the five obligations made during the election campaign.

Government spokesperson Piotr Mueller presented a spot recalling the obligations taken upon by the PM for the first 100 days during the parliamentary campaign, including an additional 13th monthly pension and a 14th pension as of 2021 and smaller insurance fees, among other campaign promises.

Summing up the first 100 days of his government, PM Morawiecki said it was possible to fulfill these obligations owing to the repair of public finances. He criticised the previous governments, including the one formed by the Civic Platform and the Polish People's Party (PO-PSL), for their light-heartedness and their lack of a professional attitude towards the state budget."

He said that when the PO-PSL government had been in office, the state was harsh on the weak and lenient on the strong. "We have changed this," he declared.

Pointing out that Poland recorded a PLN 3.4 billion (EUR 790.6 million) budget surplus after January 2020, the prime minister said that "despite the lowering of taxes and huge social programmes which we have implemented, and despite the ongoing global economic slowdown, the condition of the Polish economy is good."

He also recalled that last week President Andrzej Duda signed into law the so-called 13th pension, an extra one-off yearly payment for retirees and pensioners, while the government passed a bill introducing a 14th retirement pension payment. It is to be paid out at the close of 2021.

The prime minister also said that the true development of the country takes place between elections and is dependent on whether the cabinet has fulfilled its promises and implemented them.

"Less spectacular development, but one that is true, takes places between elections. (...) And it depends on whether the government knows how to implement what it has obliged itself to do during elections. In brief, (it depends - PAP) on whether the government honestly implements its obligations and fulfils them," he said.

Referring to his Five project, the PM added that a year had already passed since another Five was announced, the so-called Jarosław Kaczyński Five. "It has been fully implemented," he stated, pointing out the importance of the inclusion of a first child in the 500 Plus child benefit. "This programme has fundamentally changed the life of Polish families in all regions of Poland," he said.

Speaking about his priorities for the near future, the PM said he wanted to further improve the functioning of public institutions, with special emphasis on health services, education and climate policy. He added that the government is evaluated through its economic results, the condition of public finances, infrastructure development, social programmes and the effective implementation of international interests.

"Our Poland, for the coming years, for the next decade, is an ambitious Poland," he stated, adding that "the building of a strong, brave and ambitious Poland will be focused upon during the second term in office," the prime minister concluded, adding that "we have proved that what was impossible for many, has become a fact."