Polish PM blames president for rising fuel prices after veto

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday accused President Karol Nawrocki of contributing to rising fuel prices, saying the president had blocked legislation aimed at taxing excess profits of fuel companies.

In a post on social media platform X, Tusk criticised the decision, arguing it had prevented the government from funding measures to reduce costs for consumers.

“Shocking decision by Karol Nawrocki. He blocked a law that would have allowed taxing the enormous profits of fuel companies, which would have made it possible to finance cheaper fuel at our stations,” Tusk wrote.

The remarks come after the government acknowledged it could no longer sustain costly interventions to keep fuel prices artificially low. Tusk previously said the state had been spending more than $1 billion per month on price controls.

Poland has recently rolled back a series of measures aimed at limiting fuel costs. Authorities ended the CPN program (“fuel prices lower”) on July 15, while caps on gasoline and diesel prices were lifted from July 1. At the same time, value-added tax on fuel was restored from 8% to 23%.

Following these changes, fuel prices at filling stations have resumed an upward trend.

By Tamilla Hasanova