Poland’s President Kaczynski promised more pensions than originally planned during an appearance in front of supporters. But instead of withdrawing his statement, the system is recalculated. Because Kaczynski must not be wrong.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski stands on stage in front of his supporters, as he has done so often in recent months. This time in Paradyz, a small village near Lodz. The leader of the governing PiS party shies away from meeting the opposition.
The reliable core constituency of the PiS of around 30 percent should be mobilized at any price – among other things with an additional, meanwhile 14th pension payment.
Net mixed up with gross
A law on this was passed in May. Now Kaczynki is announcing how much money Polish seniors can soon expect: “We have decided and have already secured it by law that the so-called 14th pension will also be paid out in the coming years. (…) So I’ll let you know that it will amount to 2200 zlotys net.”
The equivalent of an additional 492 euros per year, this should not only happen once, but continuously – applause in the audience, confusion in the PiS headquarters. Because Kaczynki, in Poland just called “Prezes”, the chairman, made a mistake. 2200 zlotys net, he promises. Gross was meant.
This is quickly noticed when the PiS posts the prepared message on social networks parallel to the appearance of Prezes. We’re talking about gross. In order to get the same amount net, i.e. after taxes and health insurance, the Polish pension fund would have to spend significantly more money.
Pension system is adjusted
A slip of the tongue can happen – but not with the Prezes. The pension expert Antoni Kolek quickly notes that it is not Kaczynski that is being revised, but the pension system, “because the very next day the government published an ordinance that talks about 2,650 zloty gross. I have no doubt that this 14th . Pension will be paid during the election campaign. If we look at the budget for 2024, there will be no increased payment there. There are only funds secured for the minimum pension.”
Fear of losing the election
Either way, the left-wing opposition criticizes that the payments will not be enough to offset the high inflation. But ahead of the elections, it’s a strong promise, and Kaczynski wasn’t wrong, and he shouldn’t be wrong either.
The fear of an election defeat is rampant in the PiS camp, says sociologist Andrzej Rychard from the Polish Academy of Sciences: “I see this not only as a sign that we have a system in which everything depends on the discretion of the chairman, but also as a sign a sign of fear. What will happen to the elections if we don’t follow this error with action. So what? Then it’ll cost eight billion.”
Experts are assuming that Kaczynski’s slip of the tongue will result in additional costs of eight to nine billion zlotys, i.e. around two billion euros. There is no way back, the first pension payments were already ordered at the beginning of September.