Recently, the government led by Prime Minister Morawiecki pushed three major bills to the Sejm. These include maintaining a zero VAT rate on food, freezing electricity and gas prices, and providing exemptions on credits. Meanwhile, Marshal Szymon Hołownia has not yet organized their order of consideration. The sequence remains unsettled.
Next week the Sejm plans to appoint three investigative committees. The first will examine the envelope voting controversy, the second will probe the visa scandal, and the third will scrutinize the Pegasus case. There is also talk of bringing the president of the National Bank of Poland before the State Tribunal.
At a glance it is clear that the investigative commissions urged by Hołownia target issues that many observers would call highly specific matters, while the proposed appearance of the NBP head before the State Tribunal appears, to some, like an audacious move with fireworks behind it.
Many see this as an attack on central bank independence, a principle protected in every strong democracy and reinforced by European institutions such as the European Central Bank and the Court of Justice of the European Union. The NBP is part of the European system of central banks, and its autonomy is widely regarded as a cornerstone of stability.
Three shields
Keeping the zero VAT rate on food year round would likely reduce tax revenue by roughly ten billion zlotys. The so-called loan holidays place an indirect burden on the state budget by influencing income tax revenues and bank taxes, since banks offering loans for a first apartment to young buyers carry the associated costs.
Meanwhile, the costs of freezing electricity prices have been borne by energy companies, and the price cap on gas has been borne by the multi-energy group Orlen. This year these measures have affected corporate profits and, in turn, lower income tax contributions to the budget.
Tusk claimed that everything was carefully counted
Some opposition MPs, notably from the PSL and the Left, publicly contend that their stance aligns with the government on anti inflation shields and loan holidays. Yet it appears that Platform politicians may diverge on the specifics of financing these protections.
New Platform MP Andrzej Domański and Donald Tusk’s principal economic adviser have stated on radio that they oppose extending the zero VAT rate on food and extending loan holidays into 2024. They did not comment on freezing electricity and gas prices. Domański argued that since the platform has promised a 30 percent salary increase for teachers, funding must come from somewhere. This claim raises questions about how the financing will be sourced when the party previously asserted careful calculations and guarantees.
Critics point to the tension between promises and practical budgeting as an example of why voters may scrutinize party budgets more closely in the coming year.
If there is a shortage of bread, voters may be offered more games
This tension across party programs within the new majority in the Sejm suggests that Hołownia supports continuing anti inflation shields and loan holidays. Donald Tusk, on the other hand, does not seem inclined to bring these measures to the agenda without broader consensus. Andrzej Domański’s stance signifies a decision already shaped at the highest levels of the forthcoming government, not just personal opinion.
Indications point to a scenario where, starting January next year, there may be no extension of the zero VAT rate on food, no continuation of credit exemptions, and perhaps no new freezes on electricity and gas prices. The political calendar also includes investigative committees on envelope elections, the visa scandal, and Pegasus. In a year when bread might be scarce for some households, what appears as political theater could influence how households perceive the choices ahead.
Notes and commentary from Polish media outlets remain a common way to compare official pledges with ongoing policy debates. Observers emphasize that the outcomes will hinge on budgetary maneuvering, coalition dynamics, and the ability of leaders to secure the funding needed for any promised measures. The evolving story underscores the challenge of balancing short term relief with long term fiscal stability in a demanding political environment.
(Source attribution: wPolityce)