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Poland to protect economy with ‘anti-Putin measures’

18.03.2022 13:15
Poland's government on Friday announced a raft of new measures to mitigate the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the Polish economy and society.
Polands Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announces new policies to mitigate the economic impact of Russias invasion of Ukraine, at a news conference in Warsaw on Friday, March 18, 2022.
Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announces new policies to mitigate the economic impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at a news conference in Warsaw on Friday, March 18, 2022.PAP/Leszek Szymański

Dubbed “the anti-Putin shield,” the new policies will also seek to “de-Russify” the Polish economy, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. 

He told reporters the initiative comprised measures to combat inflation, protect jobs and support companies that were previously active on the Russian market, the state PAP news agency reported

To start with, farmers will receive help with the costs of buying fertilisers, which have a significant impact on food prices, Morawiecki announced. 

He also said that Poland’s 10 million pensioners would soon receive an additional benefit, the so-called “13th pension,” to alleviate the costs of living.  

“We are doing everything to stop Putin,” Morawiecki added.

He told reporters the new policies were necessary because Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine was causing “huge economic turbulence, huge problems.”

Morawiecki also stated: “We are going to focus on de-Russifying the Polish and European economy, because today Poland is at the forefront of countries that are seeking to inspire others to shrug off dependence on Russian gas, oil, coal.”

He argued that "if the entire Europe rejected Russian gas, prices would fall within three years,” the PAP news agency reported.

Inflation in Poland stood at 8.5 percent in year-on-year terms in February, the country’s Central Statistical Office (GUS) said in an estimate on Tuesday.

Friday is day 23 of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which began on February 24.

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP