The government is intent on introducing four new energy related taxes next year.   

Reviewed by Slawek Szefs                             

The government is hiding imminent tax hikes, alarms DZIENNIK. A tidal wave of additional expenditures on electricity, gas and fuel is going to hit consumers next year. This will be the effect of increased costs of fulfilling more stringent environment protection requirements and diversification of gas deliveries.

Four new taxes are to be introduced: on coal sales, the purchase of energy based on methane, a diversification tax and a so-called auxiliary fee, which is to help create a new nationwide storage system of energy fuels. All this will certainly find painful reflection for the average bread earner. Analysts point out that energy prices are already made up in a great majority of various tax related components. 

In a survey commissioned by RZECZPOSPOLITA pollsters of TNS OBOP have found out that 46 per cent of Poles think there are presently more political squabbles in public life than during the previous government of Law and Justice (PiS). Corruptive practices are on the rise, is the opinion of 39 per cent of respondents, while 36 per cent complain about increasing unemployment. Decreasing trends feature lack of trust singled out by 39 per cent and a waning sense of justice noticed by 17 per cent of the questioned. The newspaper’s conclusion is that the Civic Platform (PO) government has ushered in more democracy, but also brought about more corruption. 

GAZETA WYBORCZA devotes considerable attention to the effects of the recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg calling for the removal of crosses from Italian schools. The Polish parliament is preparing a resolution condemning the decision. So far, the draft has been signed mostly by MPs of the ruling Civic Platform (PO) and Polish Peasant Party (PSL) coalition. Somewhat surprisingly, representatives of major opposition force Law and Justice have displayed reluctance in supporting the project, with the party’s authorities forbidding their MPs to back any other such initiative except its own.

Meanwhile, parents of a Warsaw elementary school have petitioned their principal to assign one special room in the building where the cross, together with symbols of other religious denominations, could be displayed. Such solution runs in agreement with laws guaranteeing the rights of religious minorities as well as atheists, they argue. 

The tabloid FAKT, in its sports columns, elaborates on Wednesday’s success of the Polish national football team. In a friendly encounter it managed a modest 1:0 victory over Canada finally extricating itself from a series of shameful performances.

Following a defeat against Romania in his debut as national team coach, Franciszek Smuda said that after his second game he is hopeful to build a new squad with fresh names for the starting line-up. With Poland having gone overboard in the World Cup qualifiers the focus of preparations will be exclusively on Euro 2012, especially that Poland - as a co-host of the tournament - has guaranteed participation. So, after the breakthrough win over the Canadians, it’s time to face some tougher competition, FAKT suggests.