Today, the government adopted, among other things, a resolution approving the annual financial report of the National Bank of Poland and a position on the Citizens’ Bill, which provides for the introduction of the so-called widow’s pension.
In a statement after the meeting of the Council of Ministers, it was announced that the cabinet has taken a position on the citizens’ bill, which provides for the introduction of the so-called widow’s pension.
The project is part of the government’s commitment to provide decent conditions for seniors after the death of a spouse. However, the regulations require adaptation to the financial possibilities of the state budget
– the press service reported.
Widow’s pension details
The Citizens’ Bill proposed that a widow could retain his or her benefit and increase it by 50 percent of the deceased spouse’s survivor’s pension, or collect the deceased spouse’s survivor’s pension and 50 percent of his or her benefit.
Currently, in the case of simultaneous rights to multiple pension and disability benefits, the principle of payment of one benefit applies. After the death of your spouse, you can keep your pension or waive it and opt for a survivor’s pension.
The authors of the project proposed to reach the 50% ceiling. the benefits were gradual, i.e. first they would amount to 15%. second benefit, then 20 percent and finally half.
At a press conference, the head of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, said that the cost of this solution would amount to PLN 4 billion in the first year, then PLN 9 billion, and then several billion.
The Council of Ministers will then decide what will happen to these rates
– she said.
The cost or financial implications of this project are obviously huge. This is money that will be spent to support the elderly, to support people who are in a difficult situation, so in that sense it will be money well spent, although of course it is significant money, but that is how responsible social policy works
– Added Dziemianowicz-Bąk.
The government has also adopted a bill that will allow graduates of a uniformed class to have a shortened path to service in the police and the border guard. The aim of the bill to amend certain laws related to the creation of uniformed classes and to facilitate the return to service in the police and the border guard is to increase the number of admissions to these formations.
The new regulations make it possible to manage and implement a separate qualification procedure for candidates who have applied for admission to service in the police or the border guard within three years of graduating from a department with a uniformed profile (general secondary school or technical service). secondary school), for which an appropriate training programme exists.
The government’s schizophrenic attitude towards the NBP
The government also adopted a resolution approving, among other things, the annual accounts of the National Bank of Poland as of December 31, 2023.
– informed the Prime Minister’s Office.
At the same time, the statement stressed that the government accepts the independence of the central bank as an indisputable system principle, but noted with concern the negative financial result reported by the NBP in 2022-2023.
The government also assessed “the lack of proper communication on the part of the NBP regarding the change in the financial result compared to the result initially presented by the NBP”, recalling that the financial result of the central bank is an important element in the work of the Council of Ministers on the draft state budget.
He also obliged the Minister of Finance, “due to the fact that the NBP does not comply with the principle of good cooperation”, to prepare a draft amendment to the NBP Act, establishing a legal mechanism for communication between the NBP and the Ministry of Finance in preparing the draft state budget.
Donald Tusk’s government is apparently troubled by the existence of an independent central bank in Poland. Having no choice, the December 13 Coalition at least relieved its frustrations by pouring out a flood of grievances and discontent.
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husband/DAD
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.