On Friday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk provided a rundown of the accomplishments of his government’s initial hundred days. However, what do individual ministers consider their most significant achievements during this time frame? To gain insight from one such minister, TVP World interviewed Katarzyna Nowakowska, Polish Deputy Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Policy.
Nowakowska highlighted that her paramount achievement in the past 100 days has been securing higher salaries for social workers.
“The most recent accomplishment I am especially proud of, as it was one of my personal priorities, are the higher salaries from the 1st of July for all the social workers… This is something that was very important for me, for my party [Poland 2050], and for the ministry,” she emphasized.
She was referencing the draft law on social care endorsed by the Polish government on Tuesday, enabling the implementation of the salary raise. The draft was proposed by Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, the Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Policy. As per the bill, employees in the social care sector, foster care, and nursery school workers will receive a PLN 1,000 (EUR 230) raise in their monthly salaries.
On Friday during a press conference at a nursery school in the Ursynow district of Warsaw, Aleksandra Gajewska, a deputy minister of social policy, said that the dedication of social workers often affects their physical and mental health and that for this they should be rewarded and compensated.
She stressed: “The dedication is so great, it deserves honoring and validation. “We want to make it clear that we appreciate workers,” Gajewska added. “The result of that is tangible, because it’s a financial one,” she added.
Could the President be an obstacle?
TVP World also inquired with Nowakowska if she perceives there are any policies her ministry might encounter resistance in enacting, considering that Andrzej Duda, a politician with differing ideological leanings, remains the President. “We don’t think in such categories. We think all the good ideas and good solutions need to be conducted. We don’t worry about the President before we make the changes,” she responded.
Rift in Coalition?
Adrian Zandberg, a co-leader of the Together party (Razem), the largest party in The New Left bloc within the coalition, stated on social media that his party vehemently opposes alterations to health insurance premiums for businesses.
Together is caucused with other left-wing parties in parliament, but declined to send ministers to the cabinet.
The changes to the health insurance premiums were presented on Thursday by Izabela Leszczyna, the health minister, and Andrzej Domański, the finance minister.
Domański said on Thursday that changes to the methods of calculating health insurance premiums for entrepreneurs had been announced in the coalition government agreement. According to him, up to 93% of entrepreneurs will benefit from reduced health insurance premiums.
The announced modifications will come into force on January 1, 2025.
Zandberg, commenting on the changes, wrote on Facebook: “I’ve calculated the new [health insurance - TVP World] contributions and will say this: I am surprised that Minister Andrzej Domański endorsed them.”
“This is an unfair mechanism that will increase disparity and is a blow to public health care,” he added. “If it goes to a vote, Together be against it,” he further remarked.
We also posed a question to our guest concerning Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pledge to implement higher tax-free allowances, and her response indicates that disagreements might be surfacing within the coalition regarding certain policy directions.
Nowakowska mentioned that her party did not commit to such a measure and that “this will be subject to discussion within the coalition.”
“The most recent accomplishment I am especially proud of, as it was one of my personal priorities, are the higher salaries from the 1st of July for all the social workers… This is something that was very important for me, for my party [Poland 2050], and for the ministry,” she emphasized.
She was referencing the draft law on social care endorsed by the Polish government on Tuesday, enabling the implementation of the salary raise. The draft was proposed by Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, the Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Policy. As per the bill, employees in the social care sector, foster care, and nursery school workers will receive a PLN 1,000 (EUR 230) raise in their monthly salaries.
On Friday during a press conference at a nursery school in the Ursynow district of Warsaw, Aleksandra Gajewska, a deputy minister of social policy, said that the dedication of social workers often affects their physical and mental health and that for this they should be rewarded and compensated.
She stressed: “The dedication is so great, it deserves honoring and validation. “We want to make it clear that we appreciate workers,” Gajewska added. “The result of that is tangible, because it’s a financial one,” she added.
Could the President be an obstacle?
TVP World also inquired with Nowakowska if she perceives there are any policies her ministry might encounter resistance in enacting, considering that Andrzej Duda, a politician with differing ideological leanings, remains the President. “We don’t think in such categories. We think all the good ideas and good solutions need to be conducted. We don’t worry about the President before we make the changes,” she responded.
Rift in Coalition?
Adrian Zandberg, a co-leader of the Together party (Razem), the largest party in The New Left bloc within the coalition, stated on social media that his party vehemently opposes alterations to health insurance premiums for businesses.
Together is caucused with other left-wing parties in parliament, but declined to send ministers to the cabinet.
The changes to the health insurance premiums were presented on Thursday by Izabela Leszczyna, the health minister, and Andrzej Domański, the finance minister.
Domański said on Thursday that changes to the methods of calculating health insurance premiums for entrepreneurs had been announced in the coalition government agreement. According to him, up to 93% of entrepreneurs will benefit from reduced health insurance premiums.
The announced modifications will come into force on January 1, 2025.
Zandberg, commenting on the changes, wrote on Facebook: “I’ve calculated the new [health insurance - TVP World] contributions and will say this: I am surprised that Minister Andrzej Domański endorsed them.”
“This is an unfair mechanism that will increase disparity and is a blow to public health care,” he added. “If it goes to a vote, Together be against it,” he further remarked.
We also posed a question to our guest concerning Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pledge to implement higher tax-free allowances, and her response indicates that disagreements might be surfacing within the coalition regarding certain policy directions.
Nowakowska mentioned that her party did not commit to such a measure and that “this will be subject to discussion within the coalition.”
Source: TVP World, PAP
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