Senate leaves 2017 budget unchanged, bill directed to president
The Polish Senate on Wednesday afternoon decided not to introduce any changes to the 2017 budget bill. In effect the document will be directed to the president for signature.
The bill was passed by the lower chamber (Sejm) during a December 16 meeting. The opposition questions the legality of the passing of the bill saying it was passed when the Sejm lacked a quorum while opposition MPs were barred from the vote, which took place in a side room as the main debate hall was blocked by a group of opposition MPs.
Since then, Sejm Speaker Marek Kuchcinski has assured critics many times that the vote was attended by the legally required number of MPs and that it was thus valid with all MPs free to take part in the vote.
Under the budget bill, the state revenue is planned at PLN 325 billion and spending at PLN 384 billion, producing a PLN 59.3 billion deficit.
Poland's GDP growth is expected at 3.6 percent and inflation at 1.3 percent. The nominal average wage is to increase by 5 percent and employment by 0.7 percent. Private consumption is to expand by 5.5 percent.
According to the government, the bill fulfils the criteria of the stabilising expenditure rule, and the deficit at 2.9 percent of GDP will be lower than the EU-required threshold of 3 percent. (PAP)
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