Poland’s ruling Civic Platform (PO) intends to save 114 million zlotys (25 million euros) this year and even up to 400 million zlotys (90 million euros) by the end of the current parliament’s term by suspending state subsidies for political parties.

The head of the Civic Platform parliamentary party Zbigniew Chlebowski declared that the details of this “political and financial revolution” will be presented in a few day’s time:

“We only want to suspend financing political parties from the state budget. We could save up to 400 million zlotys. In the wake of the economic crisis these are very considerable savings,” Chlebowski said.

The Civic Platform wants the bill suspending the state subsidies for political parties to be put into practice by April 1.

However, Civic Platform’s junior coalition partner, the Polish Peasant’s Party (PSL) is not fully convinced to the idea. Stanislaw Zelichowski of PSL fears that political parties will be forced to solicit favours from business.

“Are we to follow the Russian route where it’s the oligarchs who decide about the shape of politics?” Zelichowski rhetorically asked.

Similar concerns are put forward by the largest opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS). They also point to the fact that businessmen’s sympathies are generally directed at Civic Platform, the self-styled pro-business party.

The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), in turn, seems to accept the idea of decreasing state subsidies to political parties. The only condition made by SLD, however, is that the largest parties should give up the most while the smaller ones – including the Alliance – less.

According to Tadeusz Iwiński of SLD, it should also be forbidden for parties to spend money on advertising in the media and on billboards. (jm)

Source: RMF FM, PAP