These are the priorities? Instead of the army and security, the Church Fund. Kosiniak-Kamysz: “I give myself time to develop solutions”

I am giving myself until the middle of the year to work out solutions regarding the Church Fund; In the coming days I will convene the first meeting of the team on this issue, said the head of the Ministry of National Defense and President of PSL Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in Lublin. During the conference, he also spoke about the operational capacity of the military, the commission of inquiry into envelope elections and the separation of the functions of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.

The Case of the Church Fund

Kosiniak-Kamysz, who was asked during a press conference when the first meeting of the inter-ministerial team for the Church Fund would be held and what it would entail, replied that he would convene the first meeting in the coming days.

I will convene the first team meeting in the coming days. I give myself until the middle of the year to develop solutions regarding the Church Fund, to ensure, first of all, an effective change that respects all churches and religious associations, and above all respects its faithful and also respects our political interests. obligations.

– said the Deputy Prime Minister.

He notes that they will probably focus most on the solution surrounding the deduction of a certain tax percentage for churches and religious associations. He added that they will work on it using the experience from more than a decade ago.

In the draft state budget for 2024, the Church Fund will amount to PLN 257 million.

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Local government elections

Kosiniak-Kamysz also argued that his party is ready for the local elections, which will take place on April 7.

We are ready for the local elections. We will soon publish lists at the voivodeship, poviat and municipality levels. We are determined to win in Lublin Voivodeship

– said Kosiniak-Kamysz.

He added that “one of our decisions is not only to increase the local government subsidy by about PLN 3 billion, but also to write and present a new law on local government financing .

There will be no self-government without financial security, there will be no self-government without financial stability

– Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed, adding that citizens should decide what to spend the money on.

Another PSL politician, Minister of Development and Technology Krzysztof Hetman, noted that the PSL New Year’s meeting in Lublin is an excellent opportunity to talk about the local elections, for which – as he said – they are practically already prepared. He recalled that they are going to these elections as the Third Way, that is, together with Poland 2050.

Practically speaking, we already have candidates everywhere for councilors, for the municipal council, for the district level, for the municipal level, but also for municipal heads, mayors and presidents.

– said Hetman.

He added that there is still a lot of work ahead of them in connection with the local government elections, an effort that he and Kosiniak-Kamysz will ask all members of the People’s Party in Lublin Voivodeship.

Two blocks

Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Trzecia Droga does not plan to participate in the local elections with the other coalition partners with which it is forming the government – KO and New Left. He explained that two blocs have a chance to win: the Third Way, i.e. PSL and Polska 2050, as one, and the Civic Platform with New Left as second.

The New Left gave its leaders permission to talk to PO about a joint start. I think it would be very good if there were two such blocks. This is much more effective than if we went on one list, because we would not win in many voivodeships

– emphasized the president of PSL.

He added that many people who do not want to vote for PiS choose the Third Way.

Values, tradition, history and culture – including those that stem from our Christian roots – are very important to us

– he emphasized. He also stated that thanks to the Third Way, Poland “will be a good place for religious communities and for churches and there will be a separation between state and church.”

Functions of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General

The head of the Ministry of National Defense was asked about the principles for the draft amendment to the Public Prosecution Service Act, presented by the Ministry of Justice. They assume the separation between the functions of the minister and the PG, who will be appointed by the Sejm for a six-year term with the consent of the Senate.

As Kosiniak-Kamysz noted, this project will undergo “normal consultations and inter-ministerial arrangements.”

The combination of the political position of minister with the position of (attorney general), which should enjoy enormous public trust, should not take place. We need to separate these functions

– said the president of PSL.

He added that he would go “one step further” himself.

I believe that in the future the election of the Attorney General should be through elections. Voters must decide who is Poland’s attorney general. This system would give such a person enormous credibility and freedom of choice

– said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Kosiniak-Kamysz pointed out that this would be a change of a “systemic, far-reaching nature.”

This is an idea we were working on at PSL, but I think it’s still relevant; not for today. Today, the functions of the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice must be quickly separated. This must be done effectively, with competence and with operational capacity for the Attorney General. But as a result, we as a political movement will propose the idea of even greater independence and effectiveness of the public prosecutor’s office.

– he inquired.

Postal Elections Commission of Inquiry

Kosiniak-Kamysz also tried to comment on Artur Soboń’s hearing by the Investigative Committee on envelope elections.

Mr Soboń’s strategy is wrong. Questions need to be answered

– Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized. He added that the commission imposed a disciplinary fine of PLN 3,000 at the Warsaw District Court. PLN to Soboń.

If PiS politicians continue like this, if this is their strategy, it will have short legs. And so we arrive at the truth

– emphasized the president of PSL.

He said PiS politicians are afraid of investigative committees.

I think the chaos they have tried to create in recent weeks is fear and fear of the truth,” he said. “Your concealment, your unwillingness to dialogue and answer questions will eventually reveal the truth one way or another. You can make it harder, you can boycott it, but you can’t erase it now

– he asked PiS politicians.

Army size and operational capabilities of the army

The head of the Ministry of National Defense assured at a press conference in Lublin that he would strengthen the Polish army, increase the size of the army, but also the operational capabilities of the army.

Not only numerical values are important, but also operational capabilities, and I will put much more emphasis on this. Already after the first elements of the audit, I see that we need to focus on the training and individual equipment of soldiers

– added.

In principle I am in favor of maintaining the contracts, but we are reviewing them

– Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

He noted that he was also in favor of developing the planned units.

I’m just worried that some of these units were just indicative of a place on the map. In some places nothing has happened yet, not a single shovel has been planted

– he noted.

He said development is especially needed in places directly exposed to danger.

We must be prepared for every eventuality. The situation in Ukraine is very serious and Russia is unpredictable in its actions

– said the head of the Ministry of National Defense. He added that a civil protection law is needed.

We will prepare it because we need it very soon