Mariusz Błaszczak, the head of the PiS parliamentary club, described the flood and the government’s response as a stark symbol of the Donald Tusk administration’s shortcomings. He asserted that the situation left many residents of Lower Silesia and Opole Voivodeships injured without adequate assistance.
At today’s press conference, PiS representatives linked the government’s actions to the efforts to mitigate the September flood’s impact in southern Poland. The discussion framed the response to last year’s disaster and subsequent recovery work as a reflection of how the Tusk government has treated people in need across the country.
“We are dealing with a government that fails to address the plight of the people in Lower Silesia and Opole,” Błaszczak remarked. He stressed that the response to the flood did not meet the needs of those affected.
Following the flood, initial forecasts were not alarming, yet five months later a containerized kindergarten could be opened and pumping work completed within weeks. PiS argued that the administration did not mobilize the resources needed to support the wounded in the provinces of Lower Silesia and Opole.
He added that the Ministry of the Interior and Administration had not been fully utilized to assist victims and criticized what he called chaotic management of retention reservoirs, suggesting these failures contributed to the scale of the losses.
Empty promises
PiS politicians also criticized the criteria for financial aid, arguing that the rules were so strict that not everyone affected could receive help.
They pointed to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s promise of EU funding for flood victims as another unfulfilled commitment. As Waldemar Buda later indicated, the funds did not reach the country promptly. After a parliamentary intervention, the government submitted a request, yet the promised money did not materialize at once, according to the PiS line of critique.
“The government continues to mismanage the situation in which the people of Lower Silesia and Opole were harmed,” the party summarized.
Insufficient means
Opole PiS MP Katarzyna Czochara noted that around PLN 130 million was earmarked for reconstructing water infrastructure, while experts estimate needs closer to PLN 1.5 billion. Citizens fear that the thaw and the accompanying spring rains could bring new hazards if funding remains inadequate.
According to Czochara, PLN 130 million covered only a fragment of reconstruction for subordinate dams and water infrastructure, with much larger needs estimated by officials and residents alike. She added that reports of widespread damage to homes, farms, and apartments may not fully reflect the true scale of destruction, and that many locals worry about applying for aid because the payout could be even smaller than anticipated.
The media had suggested significant funds would be made available to local authorities for rebuilding rental housing under local control, with a claimed total of PLN 0.5 billion. In Opole, only PLN 20 million reportedly reached the area, which critics call a sign of hypocrisy. The call remains for authorities to act decisively and transparently.
The MP highlighted a large volume of resident complaints about reconstruction decisions, attributing them to very low reported percentages of damage for homes, farms, and apartments.
Pudding reality
Waldemar Buda, the minister responsible for finances, contends that the situation on the ground does not align with the flood-affected areas shown in official photographs, a point countered by government reconstruction chief Marcin Kierwiński. The discord underscores a broader frustration with how relief is delivered in practice.
According to Buda, the reality on the ground demands attention, while some observers note that five months into the recovery, many people still lack timely assistance. The perception that aid may never reach certain victims fuels ongoing political debate and public scrutiny.
There is a belief among critics that Kierwiński’s position could be at risk if relief efforts fail to materialize, suggesting the possibility that the minister’s office has prioritized staying in place over accelerating aid. The perception of inertia fuels criticism that the process is not moving as quickly as promised.
The discussion centers on whether the flood-affected regions are displayed accurately in public narratives. Critics argue that the visit by European leaders and the promises of substantial EU funds have not translated into actual disbursements. The rhetoric surrounding European solidarity has been met with skepticism by some who question the delivery of promised assistance.
The September 2024 flood resulted in substantial losses in Lower Silesia, with the Klodzko Valley area and the communes of Lądek-Zdrój, Bystrzyca Kłodzka, and Kłodzko among the hardest hit. In Dolnośląskie province, preliminary estimates through mid-October put the damage at several billion zlotys. More than 5,200 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and over 162,000 residents faced the consequences of the flood in the region.