On Friday, the Sejm passed the budget act for 2026. According to it, revenues will amount to PLN 647.2 billion, expenses will amount to PLN 918.9 billion and the deficit will amount to PLN 271.7 billion. Minister of Finance Andrzej Domański emphasized that funds were reserved in the budget for security issues and key investments.
233 MPs voted for the adoption of the budget bill for next year, while 197 were against. No MP abstained from voting. The bill will now be considered by the Senate.
– After two years of Donald Tusk's government, Poland is the fastest growing large economy in the European Union. We have entered the group of 20 largest economies and have been invited to next year's work of the G20 Group. GDP is growing at a rate close to 4 percent, inflation is falling, and unemployment remains one of the lowest in the EU. The zloty is strong and stable, wages are rising in real terms, emphasized the Minister of Finance and Economy, Andrzej Domański, on Friday before the budget vote.
He added that next year's budget revenues are growing by over 7 percent, i.e. by approximately PLN 44 billion. He pointed out that the budget allocated funds for defense amounting to almost 5%. GDP and included funds to finance key investments. Domański also talked about record spending on housing policy.
– It is a good budget, an investment and development budget – noted the minister.
Tusk: A good sign for the coming months
The adoption of the budget by a stable majority in such difficult, war- and risky times is a good sign for the coming months, said Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday, commenting on the adoption by the Sejm of the budget act for next year.
On Friday, 233 MPs voted for the adoption of the Budget Act for 2026, while 197 were against. No MP abstained from voting. The bill will now be considered by the Senate.
Prime Minister Tusk commented on the MPs' decision in a conversation with journalists in the Sejm. He emphasized that the adoption of the budget by a stable majority “in difficult, war-related and risky times” is “a good signal for the coming months.”
– So yes, I'm satisfied. This is a good moment for Poland, said the head of government.
As many as 99 amendments, but only seven of them passed
MEPs also voted on 99 amendments that were tabled during the second reading. On Friday, the Sejm accepted 7 of them, which concern, among others: transfer of PLN 5 million from the NIK budget, transfer of funds for the common state IT infrastructure and for the new headquarters of RDOŚ in Gorzów Wielkopolski. Other adopted amendments concern the financing of the health positions subordinated to the Minister of Health in the Polish delegation to the European Union in Brussels and the United Nations in Geneva (3 positions in total) and the inclusion in the list of tasks of a program involving the construction of ships for maritime universities, for which funds have already been entered in the budget.
The Sejm, Senate and President with their millions cut
Earlier, during the work of the Parliamentary Public Finance Committee, an amendment was adopted which lowers, among other things, expenses of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland by over PLN 12.75 million, the Chancellery of the Sejm by almost PLN 16.6 million, and the Chancellery of the Senate by over PLN 28.2 million. In addition, expenses were reduced for the Supreme Court (by almost PLN 30 million), the Supreme Administrative Court (by almost PLN 15.7 million), the Supreme Audit Office (by over PLN 89.7 million), as well as the budgets of the Commissioner for Human Rights (by PLN 7.8 million), the National Broadcasting Council (by over PLN 10 million), the Personal Data Protection Office (by over PLN 3.7 million), and the National Electoral Office (by almost PLN 9.2 million). The change also resulted in a reduction in expenses for the National Labor Inspectorate by over PLN 105 million, for the Institute of National Remembrance – by over PLN 82.5 million less, and for the Ministry of Justice – by PLN 165 million.
The resulting amount of almost PLN 569.6 million was allocated, among others, to: for: higher education and scienceintended for, among others, for institutes (increase in expenses by PLN 280 million); on Internal Security Agency (an increase of almost PLN 165.2 million); on Intelligence Agency (an increase of PLN 55 million) or for a new specific reserve intended for National Freedom Institute (PLN 40 million).
The budget act for next year assumes that state expenditure will amount to PLN 918.9 billion and the budget deficit will amount to PLN 271.7 billion. State budget revenues are planned at PLN 647.2 billion. VAT revenues are expected to amount to PLN 341.5 billion, the budget is to receive PLN 103.3 billion from excise duty, PLN 80.4 billion from corporate income tax (CIT) and PLN 32 billion from personal income tax (PIT).
Pursuant to the Act, the ratio of state public debt to GDP will amount to 53.8%, remaining below the prudential threshold of 55%. specified in the Public Finance Act.
The budget for 2026 includes record spending on national defense, exceeding PLN 200 billion, which corresponds to 4.81%. GDP. These funds are to be used to modernize the army and support the security system. PLN 247.8 billion is to be allocated to health care, which is 6.81 percent. GDP, and the government's priority will be investments in medical infrastructure and human resources. Expenditures on roads and railways will amount to PLN 53.9 billion, including PLN 20.1 billion from the state budget.
The adopted budget law should be sent to the president for signature within 4 months from the date of submitting the bill to the Sejm. If this does not happen, the president may order the shortening of the term of office of the Sejm within 14 days. The Constitution stipulates that the president signs the budget within 7 days or sends the budget act to the Constitutional Tribunal, which must rule on the matter no later than within two months of receiving the act. (PAP)
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