Tax hikes on Council of Ministers agenda

Tusk with new coalition; photo - PAP/Tomasz Gzell

The Council of Ministers, chosen by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is currently composed of 15 men and four women.

Advance word from the Finance Ministry, led once again by Jacek Rostowski, indicates that diesel is set to become more expensive.

The price will reportedly rise by 18 grosz per litre (0.04 euro), resulting in extra revenue of approximately 2.2 billion zloty (493.6 million euro) going to the state treasury.

The government says that the rise brings Poland into line with minimum EU rates (330 euro per 1000 litres).

As of 1 January there will also be an increase on tobacco duty, bringing an estimated revenue of 245 million zloty (54.9 million).

This morning, leader of the opposition Law and Justice party in parliament, Maruisz Blaszczak, said that the inclusion of inexperienced politicians in the new cabinet, such as the new sports minister Joanna Mucha and Jaroslaw Gowin, who has no legal training, as justice minister, was a mistake during difficult times.

“This is no time to give [ministers] training,” Blaszczak told Polish Radio.

Blaszczak also said that a second term of office for Jacek Rostowski as finance minister was a “mega embarrassment”.

“It was ridiculous that during the election campaign in September, the finance minister presented a “virtual” draft [2012] budget,” he said.

Rostowski has since revised some of the growth projections for the 2012. (pg/nh)