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Billions for Polish micro-businesses hit by virus crisis

25.05.2020 19:45
Micro-businesses in Poland have been awarded loans totalling PLN 4.4 billion (USD 1.06 billion) so far under a massive government programme to protect jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic, a Cabinet minister has said.
Marlena Maląg
Marlena Maląg PAP/Mateusz Marek

The loans are designed to cover the current costs of firms hit by the virus crisis.

Marlena Maląg, the minister for family, labour and social policy, said that in Warsaw only 11 percent of applications for financial help of this type had resulted in pay-outs so far, the smallest figure of any city in Poland.

She appealed to Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski to ensure that applications are processed more efficiently.

The opposition Civic Platform (PO) party earlier this month chose Trzaskowski as its new candidate for Poland’s presidential elections.

His main rival in the race is incumbent President Andrzej Duda, who is backed by Poland’s governing conservatives. The Civic Platform and Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party are bitter political rivals.

Polish lawmakers in April backed a plan to expand a massive relief and stimulus package of measures aiming to shield the economy from the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 21,631 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 disease in Poland, with 1,007 deaths from the coronavirus so far, officials said on Monday evening.

(pk)

Source: IAR