Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (URE) announced its decision in late December, quoting 600 percent increases in wholesale gas prices at the international market as the main reason behind it.
URE’s spokesperson Agnieszka Głośniewska told Polish Radio's IAR news agency at the time that the decision was also driven by sharp increases in CO2 emission allowance prices
To offset the burden of soaring energy prices, the Polish government had already reduced taxes on natural gas and electricity as part of an extensive package of measures dubbed "the anti-inflationary shield."
But an expert quoted by IAR said that the efforts are to spread the increase over a period of three years, but is not expected to offset the growing prices completely.
(tf)