Poland 2050 wants to increase excise duty on alcohol. The surplus is to go to the National Health Fund

Poland 2050 submitted to the Sejm a bill increasing the excise tax on alcohol, similar to the government bill that was vetoed by President Karol Nawrocki in December. The surplus of funds resulting from the increase in excise tax on alcohol would go to the National Health Fund for the prevention and treatment of alcohol addiction.

Wioleta Tomczak, an MP from Poland 2050, announced at a press conference in the Sejm on Thursday that the MPs from Poland 2050 had submitted a draft bill on the increase in excise tax.

She pointed out that it provides that the surplus of funds resulting from the increase in excise duty will be transferred to the National Health Fund for the prevention and treatment of alcohol addiction. – Ultimately, consumers of alcohol products will bear greater responsibility, including fiscal responsibility, to cover the costs of their treatment – she emphasized.

She said that the vacatio legis for the new regulations would be six months, which would allow entrepreneurs and society to prepare for the entry into force of the regulations.

– Alcoholism is a disease that has no political views. We, as a distinct center, count on the support of both the right and the left. Let's help Poles together and defeat this disease – appealed the Polish 2050 MP Kamil Wnuk.

One of the laws vetoed in December last by President Karol Nawrocki was the law increasing excise duty on alcohol. After the veto, the current head of Poland 2050, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, announced that the Poland 2050 parliamentary club will again submit a draft bill increasing the excise tax on alcohol, taking into account the president's comments.

The president then said that instead of fighting the VAT mafias, the government was choosing the easiest path and – through the act on increasing excise duty – reaching for Poles' money. In his opinion, if the intentions of both acts were “truly health-promoting”, they would include a provision that “every zloty of additional revenues goes exclusively to health care”. (PAP)

pab/ rbk/