2017-11-17

FOR Communication 22/2017: The slogans of PiS: facts and myths

Two years of the PiS’ (the Law and Justice party) government constituted an unprecedented attack on Polish institutions of the rule of law. In the economic sphere, the government acts in a way that increases what should fall - public debt, and decreases what should grow - the strength of the private sector. It places Poland on a dangerous turn of her history, and the economic prospects of our country start to look bleak, especially in the event of a downturn in the global economy. As a result of deterioration on all fronts - including the institutions of the rule of law and the private sector - the economic prospects of our country are weakening, and consequently decreases its authority in the West and the East.

Here are facts and myths about actions of the current government:

"Reactivation of the Constitutional Tribunal" - the politicization of the judiciary
"Repolonization" - more politicians in the banking sector.
“State-owned enterprises as the drive wheel of the economy" - leading the economy astray.
"Lowering the retirement age" - an even steeper drop in the number of people of working age.
"The lowest unemployment in 26 years" - continuation of an earlier trend, for which the current government can not claim credit.
"Unemployment of women fell below the level of men's unemployment for the first time" (E. Rafalska) – it happened because larger number of women withdraw from the labor market
Program "Family 500+" - additional deactivation of young women
"For the eight years of the rule of our predecessors, two million people left our country, in particular in search of work” (M. Morawiecki) - in the first year under PiS as many people left as during the eight years of PO-PSL.
"We fight for a better position of farmers in the EU" - the ban on land trade inhibits the development of agriculture.
"The forecast of Polish economic growth was raised by the European Commission" – but less than for 14 of other EU.
"The ratio of industrial capacity utilization reached 81.4% in October. This is the best result in ten years" - and at the same time investments are lacking.
"Deficit is under control" - the largest increase in public debt in the EU.
"Sealing the tax system" - half of it is a result of economic upturn and some one-off actions.
"Increasing the tax-free allowance" - a sham operation that is irrelevant to employees.
"Increased transparency of public spending" – data and their assesment are getting more difficult to obtain.

Full communication aviliable below in Polish.

Contact with the authors:

Aleksander Łaszek, chief economist at FOR
e-mail: aleksander.laszek@for.org.pl

Rafał Trzeciakowski, economist
e-mail: rafal.trzeciakowski@for.org.pl

Marcin Zieliński, economist
e-mail: marcin.zielinski@for.org.pl

Files to download

FOR Communication 22/2017: The slogans of PiS: facts and myths (pl)