Government promises 'bank tax' after election
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
27.07.2011 08:32
Poland's finance minister Jacek Rostowski has promised that if Civic Platform win this autumn's general election he will impose a 'bank tax' in line with what is being planned in other EU countries.
"The bank levy will be introduced in the next term, unless of course [we lose the election]," Rostowski said Tuesday. "This will be one of our first projects," he added.
The finance minister said that plans to introduce the levy on banks carrying too high liabilities before the election would now have to be scrapped as there was "no time" to push the legislation through before the ballot on 9 October.
In doing so, Poland's government is following in the footsteps of the UK, France and Germany, who, in June, issued a joint statement saying that they would “aim to ensure that banks make a fair contribution to reflect the risks they pose to the financial system and wider economy, and to encourage banks to adjust their balance sheets to reduce this risk.”
Rostowski said the funds raised in Poland would go to combating debt lervels. (pg)
source: PAP