Minister Marcin Kierwiński, appointed at the end of September as the government’s plenipotentiary for the reconstruction of areas after the flood, shocked the victims with his statements during his first visit to the flood-damaged areas. When he looked at one of the destroyed schools in Opole Voivodeship, he first said very reassuringly that it needed to be heated quickly so that the children could return to it as soon as possible, but later things only got worse. Looking at the destroyed infrastructure in subsequent cities in the Silesian, Opole and Lower Silesian voivodeships, he said that “reconstruction will be possible next year, when we enter the spring-summer investment cycle.”
Moreover, wanting to take the responsibility for the reconstruction away from his team, he immediately added that “much will depend on local authorities,” referring “neatly” to the statement of his director, Donald Tusk, who his visit to those affected by the 2010 flood, responding to their complaints that they are not getting help anywhere, he said: “I did not choose your mayor.” Moreover, during this visit, Minister Kierwiński did not want to meet with the municipal heads and mayors of these areas (he even left out the mayor of Kłodzko, who participated in the elections with the support of the Platform), because he has nothing special to offer. tell them that, since the government has not yet indicated at what pace and under what financial conditions the technical and social infrastructure, which is the responsibility of local authorities, will be rebuilt. In this case, the government is counting primarily on European funds, not on budget funds, but first it is necessary to ‘reprogram’ the envelope for “infrastructure and environment”, from which the funds for this purpose will most likely come, and to to make changes to the EU’s financial regulation, which will take months to come into effect. They come from the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027, and taking into account the n+2 rule they will actually be available in annual installments until 2029, and local authorities need them immediately.
We would like to remind you that next year’s budget, which will be presented at first reading in the Sejm this week for post-flood reconstruction, contains a reserve of only about PLN 3.1 billion. However, in this year’s budget the Minister of Finance found only PLN 2 billion for this purpose, so as everything indicates, the Tusk government assumes that it will release a little more than PLN 5 billion from the budget funds for the reconstruction of flood areas in a period of two years. . This obviously results in very modest proposals for aid to flood victims, which were ultimately included by the ruling coalition in the special flood law that has just come into effect.
Although the households have each received or will receive PLN 10,000 from social assistance, funds for the renovation or reconstruction of apartments and houses in the amount of PLN 100,000 and PLN 200,000 respectively will go to the victims for this amount, but only if the damage is greater is then 80%, while the lower amounts, for example up to 50%, are only paid PLN 20,000 respectively. PLN and 40 thousand zloty. This assessment of the extent of the damage can be made by building inspectors, and since it is estimated that more than 10,000 buildings in the flood zones need to be assessed in this way, even if experts from other provinces assist, the procedures will take months. In fact, only a replacement for financial support will be received by injured entrepreneurs or farmers. Unfortunately, this is what the MPs and Senators of the ruling coalition decided, because the project prepared by the PiS MPs included proposals for this group of aid that were identical to the aid provided. during the Covid pandemic. There are no proposals for the reconstruction of technical or social infrastructure for local governments in the mentioned special law. As I said, the government is counting on the involvement of European funds, but these will be available within 3-5 years. local authorities want to break it up immediately.
Minister Kierwiński started his term of office by visiting the post-flood areas, but already in his first contacts with the victims he shocked them by announcing that reconstruction would have to wait until the spring and summer period. Moreover, information is already circulating in the Sejm that Tusk wants to return to the provisions that allow the Prime Minister to appoint commissioners in municipalities and thus prepare for Trzaskowski’s possible participation in the presidential elections. Such a commissioner in Warsaw would be Marcin Kierwiński, who apparently only under this condition agreed to give up his mandate as Member of the European Parliament in Brussels and temporarily deal with post-flood reconstruction, in order to eventually stand as a candidate for the presidency of the capital. Therefore, it seems that the Prime Minister’s plenipotentiary for the reconstruction of areas after the flood will not “think about it”, hence his “light” approach to the problems of those affected by this disaster.
Source: wPolityce