– I am glad that this year Christmas Eve will be a working one, because the rules of the game are not changed during it – said Ryszard Petru, MP, in the “Fakty po Faktach” program. On Wednesday, the Sejm passed an amendment to the act, according to which, from next year, Christmas Eve will be a day off from work.
– I'm in Poznań, I just had a meeting with entrepreneurs and they say: “just don't make parliamentary insertions and don't change the rules of the game, like PiS did.” And really, for God's sake, if the Left has such an idea, let them introduce it to the government, let it go through the government path. Let's work out a common position. Let's go through social consultations – appealed Ryszard Petru, MP from Poland 2050, when asked about the issue of a free Christmas Eve.
Pros and cons for a free Christmas Eve for trade
He pointed out that “you cannot change the rules of the game during it. Christmas Eve this year is planned, transports are ordered, paid for and stocked,” he argued.
– Next year, Christmas Eve will be free, and in return there will be an additional shopping Sunday. December is the best month for many traders, because there are industries that gain 40 percent of their revenues throughout the year and have not lost anything, he noted.
Petru also said that he is not at all sure whether Poles will be so delighted with holidays that will be excluded “from operation”. He pointed out that in 2025 there will be three days free from trading, and in 2026 “there will be four days, because Christmas Eve will fall on Thursday and we will have all (days – ed.) closed, without the possibility of shopping.”
– I'm not sure at all whether after next year's Christmas Eve we won't return to the idea, which was even proposed by the Left yesterday, that you can do shopping on Christmas Eve until twelve o'clock – said Petru.
“In Poland we are still stuck in a post-PiS economy”
The Polish 2050 MP and economist was also asked about the latter data from the Central Statistical Office.
– Well, that's not good data. Of course, I am happy with the growth, but when stocks are created, it means that stocks are not being sold. We lack investment, we lack consumption. What greatly limits Polish growth? High interest rates. Who caused them? Glapiński. Why? Because with Morawiecki they achieved a very high level inflation in Poland and today we have the consequences of this – said Ryszard Petru in “Fakty Po Faktach”.
Petru added that “of course we should work towards lower inflation by reducing the budget deficit, but as long as rates are the highest in Europe, there is no chance for a very significant increase in investment, a very significant increase in consumption.”
– In Poland we are still stuck in a post-PiS economy. A lot of regulations and unpredictability when it comes to official-entrepreneur relations. A Polish entrepreneur is often perceived by officials as suspicious. Therefore, the economy really needs a huge acceleration. Many entrepreneurs pointed out to me that we did not take advantage of this last year. They did not use it for significant changes in the economy, the MP admitted.
He also emphasized that he is proposing changes, “not revolutionary, evolutionary ones in terms of the official-entrepreneur, official-taxpayer relationship, to make it simpler.”
– So that we don't have to wait two or three years for an official's decision, so that we overcome this official resistance, so that people in Poland want to work and want to invest. And I also appeal to the Left: don't make such comments, because it creates uncertainty. Yesterday morning, people didn't know what Christmas Eve would be like this year. Fortunately, we made this decision. There is, of course, the Senate and the president, who has always been against additional trade on Sundays, so he may veto this bill. We'll see what decisions the president will make, Petru said.
The situation in State Treasury companies
The Polish 2050 MP was also asked about the condition of State Treasury companies. As Jakub Jaworowski, the Minister of State Assets, announced on Wednesday, nearly 50 notifications were sent to the prosecutor's office after audits carried out in State Treasury companiesand losses caused by irregularities are estimated at several billion zlotys.
– I'll give you two examples. Almost PLN 1 billion in losses for Poczta Polska PiS10 billion debts by Azoty. All because of inappropriate investments under PiS and, what's more, bad management. And why was there bad management? A whole lot of the rabbit's colleagues, aunts and friends were on these company management boards. They were incompetent people, just like Obajtek and all the other Obajteks in Poland – replied Petru.
The Polish 2050 MP added that this should be limited, “that's why our law says: one third of supervisory board members – independent in State Treasury companies.”
– As politicians, we must limit ourselves so that there are no incompetent people on the management boards of State Treasury companies and to get out of the economic malaise that PiS introduced and left behind. But we also really need to beat our chests. A huge economic acceleration is needed, for which I appeal to the entire coalition, he concluded.
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