The Sejm adopted measures to facilitate the provision of assistance to people and institutions that suffered in the September flood in southwestern Poland. The MPs adopted the amendments to the Flood Act prepared by the government and some of the amendments submitted in the second reading.
On Thursday, 444 MPs were in favor of adopting the government's draft amendment to the Act on special solutions related to removing the effects of floods, two voted against and no one abstained.
Changes in aid for flood victims
The changes adopted by the Sejm include, among others: enabling all affected municipalities and poviats indicated in the regulation on the state of natural disaster to benefit from funding of up to 100%. task costs. Until now, this contribution had to be 20%. The new regulations also include, among others: ensure continuity of health care services, support for private universities and allowances for their students, support and possible relief for entrepreneurs. They are also intended to simplify the cutting of trees and shrubs, simplify the rules for granting benefits for renovation and construction purposes, and provide emergency benefits to public order organizations and farmers.
In Thursday's votes, MEPs also accepted some of the 20 amendments submitted on Thursday in the second reading of the proposed changes. Most of them were clarifying in nature.
They rejected all 24 minority requests for changes submitted by PiS MPstrying to introduce into the amendment the provisions of his project, which – together with the government's submission – the committee had also worked on earlier. Katarzyna Czochara (PiS) argued during the votes to adopt these minority provisions because they help people affected by the flood.
Just as the minority's motions were not supported in the votes, the PiS amendment assuming that local governments are entitled to 100% funding from the state budget was also not supported. costs of implementing investment tasks related to restoring the infrastructure to its pre-flood condition.
During parliamentary proceedings, the deputy head presents the government's proposal Ministry of Interior and Administration Czesław Mroczek explained that the assumptions of this amendment are already in the draft amendment, as are some of the minority provisions. Also during voting, among others: he emphasized that there are no obstacles to the payment of benefits in the maximum amount of PLN 100,000 and up to PLN 200,000. PLN, and “the changes add new mechanisms for helping flood victims and mechanisms for rebuilding these areas.”
Ireneusz Zyska (PiS) said before the vote on the entire bill that despite comments on the government's work, pace and methods of helping the injured, the PiS club “will vote for this bill because it is a step towards the goal related to helping the injured.”
Mirosław Suchoń (Polska2050-TD) appealed before the last vote for this bill to be adopted unanimously. “Let us pass this bill as soon as possible. I am asking that we pass it unanimously and that everyone raises their hand in support of this good bill,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mroczek, appealing for support for the entire text developed in the Sejm debates, thanked the MPs “for their good work together” on the changes.
Among the substantive amendments the Sejm introduced into the text, among others: a change reported by the Polska2050-TD club, increasing it to PLN 200,000. PLN maximum loan amount for entrepreneurs to remove the effects of flooding. The MPs also decided that the bill would include a provision allowing for exemption from paying social security and health insurance contributions at the request of entrepreneurs directly affected by the flood if their income decreased by at least 40%.
The adopted changes prepared during the work of the extraordinary committee also included, among others: provisions allowing for the granting of aid advances to the injured, which is intended to speed up the provision of support. This is also intended to expand the circle of people authorized to decide on the granting of aid.
Moreover, the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy will be able to change aid programs on the basis of which it will be possible to direct public aid to entrepreneurs affected by the flood. Support for entrepreneurs is also to be accelerated in terms of granting relief in repayment of tax liabilities. The changes also introduce temporary regulations that will speed up the assessment of damage to monuments.
Second amendment
This is the second amendment to the Flood Act. While working on the project, the government recalled that its shape was influenced by the experience of local governments, ministries and the government plenipotentiary for removing the effects of the flood, Marcin Kierwiński. The changes, the first reading of which took place on Tuesday, were worked on by the Sejm extraordinary committee for flood prevention activities and removing the effects of the 2024 flood.
The new regulations are to enter into force the day after they are announced. Now the bill will go to the Senate.
Main photo source: TVN24