Prime Minister
Speaking at a meeting of EU presidents and prime ministers in Salzburg on September 20, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki pointed out that – next to Finland - Poland has the second longest external border in the European Union. “Therefore, we are showing our efficiency when it comes to the defence of external borders. Poland as a sovereign country decides who we want to accommodate, whom we agree to accommodate, and who we do not,” Mateusz Morawiecki told a news conference. He added that Poland decided not to take in refugees and it was its independent decision. “We are glad that the Polish point of view is increasingly accepted by many countries. The conclusions reached by the European Council in June, quite unexpected for many observers of the European scene, are a good proof of this,” he noted. The Prime Minister also pointed out that the question of the future EU budget figured prominently on the agenda of EU summits. As he pointed out, it would probably be difficult to establish the budget during the current term of the European Parliament and of European Commission. However, a dialogue is currently taking place and moving in the right direction compared to the initial proposals of the European Commission, he noted.
PRIME MINISTER MATEUSZ MORAWIECKI: THE CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME IS ANOTHER FULFILLED PROMISE OF THE GOVERNMENT "Warm homes, clean air and lower bills are a real part of our programme," said the Prime Minister during the inauguration of the government's "Clean Air" programme at a meeting in Opoczno. He declared that the government, within the framework of the Clean Air Programme, has decided to spend over PLN 100 billion over the next decade. This will be used for thermal improvements in of buildings, the replacement of old stoves and boilers or the purchase of new ones. Opoczno is on the infamous World Health Organization (WHO) list of places where the air is still very polluted. “We want the Polish energy industry to continue to be based on our independent energy sources, such as coal, which is why we must eliminate the possibility of burning harmful types of coal fuel in furnaces,” Morawiecki stressed.
“THE THREE SEAS INITIATIVE MAKES HISTORY”
“We are at a turning point, we are moving from the conceptual phase, developing a strategy to the practical phase of that is to the implementation of projects,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at the end of the third summit of the Three Seas Initiative in Bucharest." We have already developed and agreed on around 70 projects within the 12 countries from the area,” he observed. He explained these were the necessary solutions regarding gas interconnections, transport links, cybersecurity and e-economy. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced the intention to develop a new cooperation platform based on transport links as well as new energy solutions. As he said, new connectors are being built between Poland and Slovakia, Slovakia and Hungary and Hungary and Romania. “We are talking about the real possibility of diversifying gas supplies from various sources,” he pointed out. “When it comes to transport, we accept the importance of restoring North-South connections, such as the Via Carpatia route, which is a priority for the current government,” the Prime Minister said. He also emphasized that thanks to the Via Baltica route trade and investment opportunities in the Three Seas region were set to improve. A letter of intent was signed during the summit on the creation of the Three Seas Initiative Fund. It is to be a financial instrument, whose aim will be to seek new resources for priority infrastructure investments. National contributions will be the basic source of financing, while development banks of the participating countries will be the shareholders.
10/2018 polish market
Photos: Krystian Maj KPRM
PM EXPLAINS POLAND’S IMMIGRATION POLICY
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