“The rulers should exercise power on behalf of the citizens who have mandated them through elections, but in matters that are very important to the citizens, we have the right to use a referendum,” said Piotr Duda, chairman of NSZZ “Solidarnosc”. , in an interview with the wPolityce.pl portal.
wPolityce.pl: How do you rate the new referendum question announced today?
Peter Duda: We’ve been fighting for twelve years. I have asked this of President Kaczyński and the entire United Right so that such a question would have a place in the referendum on October 15. This is a completion of what we started years ago when we collected signatures for the referendum motion. We already started in 2011. We submitted more than 1.5 million of these signatures in the Sejm, and more than 1.5 million were in the office of the National Commission of NSZZ “Solidarity” in Warsaw. It seemed to us that it was a great celebration of democracy. Unfortunately, the ruling PO and PSL have shown us where they have democracy. What mattered to them was to rule alone, not listen to the voices of society. The request for a referendum was rejected. After twelve years, we finally got it. Retirement age returned to the state before reform, bridging pensions returned to their place
How do you assess the attempts to convince Poles not to accept the ballots in the referendum?
This is hypocrisy diced to me. A referendum is the highest form of democracy. Those in power are supposed to exercise power on behalf of the citizens who have mandated them through elections, but in matters that are very important to the citizens, we have the right to use a referendum. If someone says they don’t want a referendum, they are against Polish democracy and the Polish constitution. These people have no right to shout slogans about the constitution and democracy in the street. Because they deny democracy. The referendum is a celebration and the highest quality of democracy.
Do you expect the eventual Civic Platform government to recognize the result of the referendum?
I believe that such a referendum result is binding on the government. I can’t imagine any other solution. However, it is known how Brussels, and especially the “Weber group”, would behave in such a situation. Years ago I spoke with the then President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. I told him about the need to restore social dialogue in Poland, because the tripartite committee is not functioning. What did he answer me? He stated that the European Parliament … “should not interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.” He told me this at a meeting in Sosnowiec and I have witnesses to it. You can only laugh. But these are their standards. They play open cards, they don’t even pretend. But “Solidarity” can fight. I said we would win anyway. We have lowered the retirement age and reintroduced bridging pensions. There will be a referendum in which the Poles will vote. Politicians have no moral right to convince Poles not to vote in the referendum.
Do you expect another referendum question on social issues?
There will be a question about the relocation of migrants, because it was the basis. The first question about the sale of state-owned enterprises is extremely important. This includes Jan Olszewski’s government collapsed over an attempt to stop privatization. I consider the questions about privatization and the retirement age as fundamental for working people in Poland. “Solidarity” and the United Right give the Poles this chance. If a person does not take advantage of this opportunity, he has only himself to blame.
Do you consider the possibility of raising the retirement age in the future, if the situation forces us to do so?
On the occasion of the signing of the agreement, the government – “Solidarity”, President Kaczyński said that we have an open road to trainee pensions ahead of us. The hypocrisy of PO and PSL talks about starvation pensions. Why were they like this, because there were rubbish contracts, employees didn’t pay social security contributions, salaries were outrageously low and our pension system is based on a funded system. I am most amused by celebrities who don’t pay contributions all their lives and then complain that they have a pension of PLN 300. Should citizens now make amends? Taxes are one part, and it is quite another. There is no need to raise the retirement age. If the issues surrounding work placement and bridging pensions have been resolved, if they are paid and we pay contributions, then we can look with confidence at the future of the labor market and the pension issue. Years ago I spoke in the Sejm to give employees an incentive and motivation to stay longer in the labor market. And today that encouragement exists. If I retire and don’t retire, I don’t pay income tax. And if a person is exhausted and has accumulated capital, let him retire. You have to give people a choice.
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Tomasz Karpowicz spoke.
Source: wPolityce