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Polish parliament OKs plan to help families buy coal for winter

05.08.2022 15:30
Poland’s parliament has definitively approved a government plan to help households buy coal for heating in winter.
The lower house of Polands parliament in session on Friday.
The lower house of Poland's parliament in session on Friday.Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

In a final vote, Polish MPs on Friday backed the proposal, overriding a number of modifications introduced earlier to the bill by the upper house of parliament, the Senate, state news agency PAP reported.

The legislation, which the country’s ruling conservatives say aims to ensure Polish families have enough coal for the heating season, now goes to President Andrzej Duda for signing into law.

Poland's conservative government last month proposed a one-off allowance to help people buy coal to heat their homes amid soaring energy prices.

Under the plan, all families that use coal for home heating will be eligible for a one-off PLN 3,000 (EUR 630, USD 640) allowance to cover part of the cost.

Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa has told reporters the new allowance will replace an earlier measure that set a guaranteed price of PLN 996.60 (EUR 210, USD 213) per tonne of coal purchased by households.

The government has earmarked some PLN 11.5 billion (EUR 2.4 billion, USD 2.46 billion) for the initiative, according to officials.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP