Two PiS members of parliament, Waldemar Buda and Zbigniew Kuźmiuk, unveiled a sample application during a press briefing. The document is designed for citizens to request that the Prime Minister cover the difference between the fuel price level stated in the campaign by Donald Tusk and the current price, which stands at 6.19 PLN per liter, compared with the campaign target of 5.19 PLN (totaling 84 PLN under the stated scenario).
During the campaign, Donald Tusk proposed that gasoline would cost 5.19 PLN per liter if he led the government. On August 18, 2023, he announced that the Civic Platform program would include a return of state support and straightforward measures to reduce prices, adding that he had a concrete solution that could bring a liter of gasoline down to around 5 PLN. These remarks were highlighted by his campaign rhetoric and later, supporters interpreted them as a pledge that could be implemented quickly (campaign reporting and remarks cited in public coverage) [citation].
In political discourse, words carry weight, especially when paired with formal authority. By March 27, the price of gasoline was 6.80 PLN per liter, a number that would be 5.19 PLN if the pledge were realized, asserted Buda during the press conference. The claim was framed as a practical promise that had the potential to deliver swift relief to Polish drivers (public statements reported by attendees) [citation].
“Many Poles, convinced and motivated by a clear commitment that looked like a public pledge, cast their votes in October for gasoline at 5.19 PLN”, Buda noted. He emphasized that the message suggested feasibility, simplicity, and rapid impact, and he suggested that if the promised mechanism remained unfound, the government would assist by refunding the price difference in such situations (remarks from the press briefing and subsequent interviews) [citation].
Bud stressed that if the mechanism had not been located, the government would provide support to ensure the promised difference could be repaid where applicable. He asserted that the state would stand behind the pledge until a concrete plan was identified (statements from the press conference) [citation].
“Moral duty”
The former Development and Technology minister in the PiS administration observed that a barrel of oil traded around $80 on August 18, 2023, while current market data showed prices near $84. From his perspective on raw material costs, he argued that the underlying economics had not shifted dramatically.
According to him, Donald Tusk held a moral obligation to cover the price difference for gasoline unless the campaign’s price-reduction mechanism—referred to during the campaign—was demonstrated as a functioning policy (statements and summaries from media coverage) [citation].
Sample application to the Prime Minister
The PiS MPs prepared a ready-to-submit form that they argued Poles could send to the prime minister in order to demand payment of the price gap. They claimed that such applications could be filed under civil-code provisions related to public promises. They announced that the form would be shared online and via PiS social channels for broad access (campaign materials and public communications) [citation].
The message suggested that gasoline should have cost 5.19 PLN, and that any higher payments at refueling should prompt a request for reimbursement. The MPs provided a draft you could complete and send to the Prime Minister’s Office, along with a link to where the form could be downloaded (communications posted on X and related platforms) [citation].
According to their explanation, the submission would require the applicant’s bank account details for the transfer and an accompanying invoice or fuel receipt as proof. The MPs also criticized the Infrastructure Minister for plans to raise the fuel allowance for 2024, noting that the increase is tied to inflation and included within the Toll Highways Act and the National Road Fund framework.
Details about the form and related steps emerged from public statements and party communications. The material did not rely on external partnerships but rather on formal channels prepared by the MPs for citizen use (party communications and public postings) [citation].
Form / author: pis.org.pl
Yes, this account reflects summaries from party communications and public coverage of the event.
Source: wPolityce