At today’s press conference (where, surprisingly, even conservative media—including us, Republic—were allowed), an interesting exchange took place between Adrian Borecki, a journalist from our station, and Rafał Trzaskowski, the Civic Coalition’s candidate for president. Asked about one thing, he talked about another. A classic move.
Trzaskowski Faces a Question from Republic
Politicians from the 13 December coalition are usually reluctant to answer Republic’s questions. Donald Tusk and his top government officials rarely allow our journalists into their briefings. No surprise there—why would they want to struggle with tough questions?
But Rafał Trzaskowski, the Civic Coalition’s presidential candidate, decided to make an exception. Wanting to show his “independence,” he invited journalists from various media outlets to his press conference.
And there, he faced a direct question from Adrian Borecki, a Republic reporter.
Tax-Free Allowance vs. Settling Scores with PiS
“Why are you, as the deputy leader of the Civic Platform, once again promising a tax-free allowance? We all remember the big conference in Tarnów, where you stood in front of a giant LED screen listing ‘100 concrete actions for the first 100 days of government.’ Why are you making the same promise again? What kind of effectiveness are you talking about? Isn’t this just another metaphor?”
That was the question. And how did Trzaskowski respond? In his usual style.
“First of all, I am not a member of the government. Throughout this campaign, I have repeatedly stated that the president’s role should be to push the government to fulfill its promises and to act more efficiently. And I stand by that. If I become the President of Poland, I will push and hold every government accountable for keeping its promises—regardless of who is in power. I did not personally promise the tax-free allowance, but I do support the government’s announcement that it will be implemented by 2027. The government has a full term to fulfill its commitments. I’m very pleased that this signal has been sent. I will certainly ensure that the government follows through. I would prefer it to happen sooner, given the difficult financial situation. I support this pledge because I believe in raising the tax-free allowance.”
Borecki was quick to respond.
“How can you say you didn’t promise it? You’re the deputy leader of the Civic Platform. If you have any influence, as the deputy leader, shouldn’t you be pushing your party’s leadership to actually deliver on these ‘100 concrete actions’?”
Trzaskowski kept going, dodging the point, and of course, he couldn’t resist mentioning his satisfaction with holding Law and Justice (PiS) politicians accountable.
“You’re seeing that influence in action. The government has announced the tax-free allowance will be implemented. It has also announced a reduction in the health insurance contribution. The vast majority of these 100 proposals are already being implemented, and I’m very happy about that. We—myself included—will continue to push for even greater speed. I’m also very pleased that PiS politicians are finally being held accountable. It’s time to close that chapter.”
Tusk’s Team and Their Broken Promise
Before the 2023 parliamentary elections, the Civic Coalition promised, as part of their “100 concrete actions for the first 100 days,” to raise the tax-free allowance to 60,000 PLN.
Without a doubt, this declaration likely “won over” some undecided voters at the time—people who fell for Tusk’s team’s grand promises. And what came of it? Absolutely nothing. Some politicians from the 13 December coalition, once in power, even started claiming that the “100 concrete actions for 100 days” were merely “a metaphor.”