We are talking to Adam Abramowicz, associate of Parliament of the 6th, 7th and 8th term, from 2018 to 2024 spokeswoman of tiny and medium-sized entrepreneurs, presently president of the Business Council.
1. In fresh years Polish entrepreneurs have faced inflation, taxation chaos after the introduction of the Polish Deal and the force of EU regulations, specified as the ESG. How do you measure the current challenges for the SME sector and what opportunities do you see for improving the situation in the context of the reforms announced?
The situation is what it is, and everyone sees it. advanced energy prices and a dynamic increase in minimum wage, immense credit costs and Green Deal requirements origin large uncertainty in moving business. advanced inflation and certificates prices, which yet inflate the price of electricity, consequence in consumer poverty. The reporting of the ESG, which is the implementation of ideological utopias, will besides importantly increase the cost of economical activity. If ETS 2 comes into force with the Building and Transport Directive, which imposes further economical and consumer costs, there will be a fast collapse of the economy and the resulting poverty.
Companies are starting to have problems – which translates into their suspension or liquidation. Whether we can improvement the Polish economy depends on politicians. In the election campaign, we were promised to return to the flat-rate wellness contribution and pay ZUS sick leave from the first day. Unfortunately, these promises have not been implemented. We have a deregulation bill, prepared by the Ministry of Development, which cannot go to the Sejm and it would be easier for business activity in Poland. The Prime Minister now authorised Mr Rafał Przoska to work to reduce the bureaucratic burden. It would be good to decision on to specifics and alternatively of constantly talking about deregulation – like president Trump – to start effectively abolishing burdens.
2. Among your demands are, among others, voluntary Social safety Offices, return to a flat-rate wellness contribution and taxation reform. Which 3 changes would you consider most urgent for the endurance of Polish SMEs, and why?
The advanced contribution to the Social Insurance Institution , this year already over PLN 1700 and together with the minimum wellness contribution over PLN 2000 per month, is simply a immense problem for tiny companies. In Germany, entrepreneurs are voluntary: to insure themselves in a state strategy or in a private strategy or to defend themselves from old age. It should besides be in Poland. Besides, the voluntary Social safety Office was promised us in an election campaign. Unfortunately, it ended with the alleged vacation, which is the usage of a half-measure which does not solve the problem. Returning to the flat-rate wellness contribution in the form before the Polish Deal was besides promised and nothing came of it. Taxes for microcompanies should be easy, e.g. the widest possible anticipation of paying them with a taxation card or a lump sum on revenues. Unfortunately, in Poland politicians focus on the improvement of corporations and state-owned companies alternatively of the SME sector with a 50% share in GDP and employing around 80% of all employees.
3. The Council of Entrepreneurs, of which you are the President, declares the fight against the “official authority”. How specifically does the organisation affect the protection of companies' interests and do you see the effects of its actions, for example in the context of mediation with the administration?
First of all we intervene in taxation or ZUS matters and related to local government. We represent the interests of SMEs in the Sejm and the Senate. We besides run networking, that is, enabling doing business between companies affiliated in Poland.
4. Is the promotion of Polish products, e.g. through the ‘Your own to Your’ campaign, an effective way of supporting the local economy? How can we encourage consumers and companies to cooperate more in this area?
Poles are the largest economical patriots in Europe, alongside the Germans. The problem of Polish consumers is that they frequently do not realize that a given product, which has a Polish sounding brand, is actually foreign. That is why education and actions to grow consumer awareness are needed. The Swjak Association is doing an excellent occupation making Poles aware of the importance of their purchasing decisions for the improvement of the Polish economy, but besides for local companies, which increase the well-being of tiny towns and municipalities.
5. You criticise EU regulations, specified as reporting to the ESC, as being hostile to tiny businesses. Do you see the anticipation of reconciling EU environmental requirements with the competitiveness of Polish companies?
It is not that these conditions affect Polish companies. These are conditions affecting companies across Europe. The Old Continent is losing its competitiveness due to the fact that the US and China are not charged with burning fossil fuels. China consumes 60% of global coal and the US is the largest oil exporter and the largest gas maker in the world.
In our western neighbour, the order index is even lower than that recorded during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. car manufacturers are rebelling. An economy like Poland is based on coal. German on the brown, but the effect is the same: advanced energy prices and pooring society. We have strong ties to the German economy. That is why we must fight for the EU to abandon the mad, ideologically motivated Green Deal. U.S. president Donald Trump points Europe back to a time erstwhile it was economically strong. Poland should reject the Green Deal, nullify the work to study to the ESC, free the economy from these unnecessary, ideologically motivated burdens. Fortunately, Poles are beginning to wake up, another European nations too, and we have a chance to defeat Euro-bureaucrats and change course.
6. After the end of his word of office, what action do you intend to take to proceed the fight for business rights?
Continue fighting Polish entrepreneurs for deregulation, freedom and economical equality. We have been operating since October 2024. We already have over 220 companies, chambers of commerce and associations including the “Swojak” Business and Farmers Association Welcome to our organization! www.rada entrepreneurw.org
Thank you for talking to me!
