Sejm deals with mining bill
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
15.01.2015 07:59
Polish MPs worked well into the night to lay out a bill on the restructuring of the ailing mining industry, as thousands strike.
Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz explained the quick pace of accepting the bill was necessary as delays would have a detrimental effect on the future of “not only the four affected mines, but all 14 within Kompania Weglowa.”
“In order to protect jobs, we need to help the company, liquidated funds, without breaking the unauthorised rules of state aid,” PM Kopacz told reporters.
The fast-track bill was opposed by opposition parties Law and Justice (PiS) and Democratic Left Alliance (SLD).
Thousands of miners within Kompania Weglowa are on strike in protest of government's plan to close several mines in southern Poland, resulting in around 5,000 losing their jobs.
If a restructuring bill is not approved shortly, state-owned Kompania Weglowa is likely to declare bankruptcy over the coming weeks, government experts say. (rg)
Source: PAP, IAR