Ministers and deputy ministers of the current government were supposed to have received 13 million, 20 million, or even 22 million złoty as bonuses – this message is being sent out on social media. It was created after an article in one of the newspapers, whose information was however distorted.
After the newspaper reported in early July “Fact” published an article about PLN 22 million that was spent on awards in ministries in 2024, a wave of outrage swept through social media. Internet users reported They talked about it and criticized the enormous rewards that were supposedly given to the ministers and deputy ministers of Donald Tusk's government. Here are some examples of entries on the subject (original spelling): “On average, Tusk's ministers and deputy ministers received a bonus of PLN 250,000 for half a year of 'work'. Very fat cats. It was supposed to be modest”; “In March, PLN 13 million was spent on rewards for 140 ministers. Now we have already paid them an extra PLN 20 million! I suspect that the government has also grown”; “There are 136 ministers and deputy ministers in Tusk's government. And they have just paid themselves PLN 22 million in rewards for their good six months of work!”; “Not a bad bonus for laziness and robbing the state”; “It is modest, they are just getting started”; “They have served their German master, it is deserved”.
There was a false message spreading on the internet about huge rewards for ministers and deputy ministers x.com
However, many Internet users doubted the veracity of this information: “Fake”; “Where did you get this data? I don't believe it”; “What nonsense, man, provide the source”; “Can you show the documents for these payments, or is it just your ramblings”; “You're lying”.
The message about huge bonuses for ministers and deputy ministers is indeed fake news. We explain.
PLN 22 million – yes, but not for ministers and deputy ministers
Article “Fact” published on July 2 under the title: “22 million PLN for awards. They showered the ministries with money already under Tusk. 'Special achievements'”. We read further: “200 days of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's rule have passed. A good opportunity to sum up, not the achievements, but the expenses. It turns out that the new government has not turned off the tap of awards. They are still flowing in a very wide stream. 'Fakt' has obtained information on how much individual ministries have spent on bonuses for their employees from the state budget. This year, in 10 ministries alone, awards have cost over 22 million PLN”.
Next is a calculation of how much was spent on awards in ten ministries (gross amounts): – Ministry of Finance – PLN 9.2 million for 2,993 employees, an average of PLN 3.6 thousand; – Ministry of Foreign Affairs – PLN 4.7 million for 693 employees, an average of PLN 6.8 thousand; – Ministry of Culture and National Heritage – PLN 3.3 million for 535 employees, an average of PLN 5.7 thousand; – Ministry of National Defence – PLN 2.5 million for 812 employees, an average of PLN 3.2 thousand; – Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy – PLN 1.8 million for 764 employees, an average of PLN 2.2 thousand; – Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy – PLN 0.5 million for 236 people, an average of PLN 2.3 thousand; – Ministry of Health (including awards from EU funds) – PLN 0.3 million for 51 people, an average of PLN 6.7 thousand. PLN; – Ministry of Digitization – PLN 0.1 million for 66 people, on average – PLN 2.2 thousand; – Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – PLN 0.03 million for 19 people, on average – PLN 1.6 thousand; – Ministry of Justice – PLN 0.001 million for 1 person for the amount of PLN 1.5 thousand.
All of this adds up to PLN 22 million – but the text lacks data from nine ministries. It is not known whether this is because nothing was spent on awards there, or because they did not provide the editorial office with the data. In any case, the text informs that the PLN 22 million went to employees of the ministries, officials. Moreover, there is a reservation that Internet users guided only by the title clearly did not get. “All ministries claim that the awards go to officials, they are not paid to ministers or deputy ministers.”
Similarly, on July 12, the Government Information Center responded to a question from Konkret24 (related to the disseminated message about bonuses for ministers):In the period from 13 December 2023 to 12 July 2024, the Prime Minister and ministers and deputy ministers did not receive any awards or bonuses“.
We found no evidence that it was otherwise. Therefore, the report that after half a year of work millions were paid in bonuses to members of Donald Tusk's government, we consider untrue.
Main image source: Jarek Praszkiewicz/PAP