'Poland not in ruins,' PM insists

13.08.2015 09:15

Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz once again rebuffed claims by the opposition that the country is 'in ruins' while visiting the town of Krotoszyn, west central Poland, on Wednesday evening.

Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz speaks in Krotoszyn. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

The Polish prime minister was repeatedly heckled by opposition activists while making an open-air speech in the town.

Hecklers called out that the prime minister was “lying”, and several carried banners with similar accusations levelled at Kopacz's Civic Platform party.

“I decidedly say 'no' to the current lies that Poland is in ruins, that Polish provincial districts are falling apart, and that children are starving in Poland,” Kopacz said. She was referring to recent statements by opposition Law and Justice (PIS) politicians during the campaign ahead of parliamentary elections on 25 October. The opposition is accusing the government of pursuing too harsh market policies which effectively split Poland in two: those who benefitted from market reforms and those who did not. The governmentg is also accused of ignoring the needs of those living in the less prosperous countryside, where the opposition claims infrastructure is insufficient.

The prime minister noted that in the last eight years, during which Civic Platform has led Poland's coalition government, 2,600 sports grounds were built in provincial districts, 24,000 km of sewage network, and 910 nurseries. She added that only 507 nurseries existed in 2007.

Claims from the opposition Law and Justice party that Poland is “in ruins” first emerged during the presidential campaign of Andrzej Duda, who won the election in May.

While being sworn in to office on 6 August, he said that rural children in Poland were going hungry.

Kopacz said in Krotoszyn that such claims give countries that “aren't exactly our best friends” propaganda material that can be used against Poland. The Russian Embassy in Warsaw has already echoed Duda's remarks on “undernourished” Polish children.

In the run-up to Poland's general election Civic Platform is behind Law and Justice in the polls. (nh/rk)

Source: PAP

tags: Kopacz Ewa