Government pledges more for pensioners and families

Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks to MPs during the first post-holiday session of parliament. Photo: PAP/Pawel Supernak

With Poland facing a demographic crisis, Tusk said in Poland's lower house of parliament that “the concessions for those bringing up children are an investment in the coming fifty years.”

It has been estimated that the Polish population will shrink by 2 million by 2035, and it has emerged that on average, Polish mothers are having twice as many children in the UK than their compatriots back home.

Among the government's proposals is a 20 percent increase in concessions for every third and subsequent child..

The tax break system for families will be completely overhauled, as until now, only parents with high income tax returns have been able to fully benefit from the system.

Tusk pledged during parliament's first post-holiday session that “these are expenses that we can afford.

“I'm not a genius, but a responsible man who wants to allot a small surplus in a sensible way,” he claimed.

Mariusz Blaszczak, a leading MP in chief opposition party Law and Justice, dismissed the promises, as his party continued to hold its lead over Tusk's Civic Platform in the opinion polls.

“Once again we hear that Poles are going to live well,” he said.

“But these are just small plasters over a huge wound,” he claimed.

Among other key issues discussed on Wednesday, Tusk said that Poland will strive for a “step by step” increase in NATO's presence in the region.

General elections must be held at least once every four years in Poland, and the last was held in October 2011. (nh)

Source: PAP/TVN