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PM says previous Polish gov’t wasted billions, opposition hits back

PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk 11.05.2016 12:36
Poland’s previous government wasted PLN 340 billion of taxpayers’ money, Prime Minister Beata Szydło said on Wednesday in a swingeing report to parliament that was criticized by the opposition.
PM  Beata Szydło. Photo: PAP/Paweł SupernakPM Beata Szydło. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

Presenting a report on the eight years in power by the Civic Platform (PO) and the Polish People’s Party (PSL), Szydło said the "wasted" money could have gone to provide family benefits, “5,000 newly-built kindergartens, 250 new hospitals and 1,500 km of motorways.

“The opportunities and possibilities that you denied Poles cannot be calculated… this money was just wasted," Szydło said.

"The state should serve citizens. The state ruled by you served only you and your political interests," she added.

Szydło’s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party swept to power in October in a landslide election victory.

'Seven deadly sins'

Treasury Minister Dawid Jackiewicz accused the previous government of “seven deadly sins in the management of public assets.”

He claimed the previous administration was guilty of “greed, mismanagement, extravagance, breaking procedures, using companies for political purposes, and action against the state’s interests.” To this list Jackiewicz added behaviour focusing on "private interests."

Opposition hits back

PO leader Grzegorz Schetyna accused the government of producing a report that he described as a “bad cabaret and lie". He claimed that the government accusations were a response to Saturday’s anti-PiS protest in Warsaw, which saw tens of thousands taking to the streets.

Former Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz, of the Civic Platform party, which is now in opposition, earlier told reporters: "The best audit of the last eight years of the PO-PSL government is above all economic growth, decreasing unemployment and increasing scores in international rankings." (pk)

Source: PAP

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