Hoteliers: We criticized the wrong assumptions of the project, and now hate is poured on us

The Polish political class does not understand tourism and hotel industry – we read in a statement of the Polish Hotel Commercial House published on Monday. The Chamber also pointed to “the need to change bad legislation regulating subsidies.”

Hoteliers defend themselves

“In view of the wave of media hate that spills into the HoReCa industry in connection with the KPO program, as well as the irresponsible statements of some politicians suggesting the cunning of hoteliers and restaurateurs, IGHP strongly protests against such practices and indicates the need to change bad legislation regulating subsidies, causing irrational public aid. Hoteliers are not responsible for the quality of programs and regulations on the basis of which they apply for co -financing their projectsespecially since Nobody listened to our reservations raised for 5 years to the KPO program” – we read in a statement of the Polish Hotel Commercial Hall published on Monday.

The Chamber reminded that during the work on the national reconstruction plan in 2020 and 2021, IGHP “repeatedly presented to the Deputy Prime Minister, ministers and President of the Republic of Poland the concept of postcovid reconstruction of the hotel industry.” She indicated that she demanded financing from the KPO “modernization of hotels and investments that meet the criteria of sustainable development.”

“We criticized the erroneous assumptions of the project, leading only to promoting the diversification of activities. We warned that promoting a change in the profile threatens to reduce the company's activity on its own market and certainly will not increase its resistance or competitiveness, and too distributed or worse, the wrong extension of the business profile, it can give the opposite effect to the intended”. We also criticized the microscopic value of the planned assistance, both In relation to the losses suffered, as well as to the industry in GDP, “we read in a statement.

Hoteliers also wrote that the “wrong assumptions of the PARP program of the HoRP industry from KPO” also pointed out during the meeting of the Sejm permanent subcommittee for tourism in May this year.

“We regret that The Polish political class does not understand tourism and hotel industry, nor is there an idea of how to develop a sector that provides over 5 percent. GDP and provides one million jobs. For years, we are sorry to note the lack of interest of the government with a constructive dialogue with economic self -government on the systemic support of such investments in tourism, which will permanently and significantly speed up Poland's economic growth, “it was written in a statement.

PIHP also confirmed “constant readiness to involve IGHP to cooperate for dynamic competitive development, sustainable and safe tourism.”

The KPO scandal broke out before the weekend

Platform X users on Thursday evening began to post examples of companies from the HoReCa industry that received subsidies from KPO, including for yachts, saunas, coffee machines, solariums, furniture replacement or the purchase of a virtual shooting range. The media also began to describe the case on Friday. The ministry of funds announced in this case, and the prosecutor's office undertook to check. Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that he would not accept any waste of money from the KPO and expected quick decisions, as well as to collect funds in the event of abuse. He declared that the consequences would be drawn regardless of the position and party affiliation.

On Friday, during a press conference, the deputy head of the Ministry of Funds Jan Szyszko said that information about irregularities to the management of the MFIPR arrived “a few weeks ago”. The MFIPR representative added that in connection with the end of July, the previous president of PARP Katarzyna Duber-Stachurska was dismissed from his position.

The Ministry of Funds declared verification of KPO funds allocated to entrepreneurs from the gastronomy and hotel industry. He assured that the initial results of the inspection that PARP will carry out would be “probably at the end of September, and certainly in the third quarter of this year.” (…) With full determination, we will check whether every zloty with public money is used as it should, “MFIPR added that Poland in December will present an indicator based on verified, correct projects in the EC.

It was reported that as part of the support of SMEs from the HoReCa industry in the KPO, 3005 contracts at PLN 1.2 billion were concluded, in turn PLN 110 million. The ministry added that the HoReCa program is implemented by five operators: the Polish Foundation for Entrepreneurship Szczecin; Towarzystwo Inwestycji Social and Economic SA (Tise SA) Warsaw; Małopolska Agency for Development SA Kraków/ Rzeszów Regional Development Agency; Agency for Development SA Bielsko-Biała; Kalisz Foundation Incubator Entrepreneurship Kalisz.

The purpose of HoReCa's funding under KPO is to support micro, small and medium -sized enterprises in the hotel, gastronomy, tourism and culture industry. These sectors were most injured due to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

The rules of the recruitment of HoReCa were established in 2023. Applications for the granting of funds could be submitted in the period of May-June and July-October 2024. In the second round of submitting applications, facilitations were introduced for applicants for additional funds, including reduced to 20 percent. A minimum decrease in turnover year -on -year in 2020–2021 (in the first recruitment it was 30 percent). (PAP)

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