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Polish Briefing 27 June, 2017 9:00 am   
Editorial staff

Polish Briefing: Poland and the US think alike about security. Unemployment down

What goes in Poland on 27th of June.

Szatkowski: Poland and the US think alike about security

Tomasz Szatkowski, Defense Vice-Minister, is currently in the USA where he is holding political and military talks with the new leadership of the Department of Defense.

Szatkowski talked with, among others, Rober Karem who is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, his deputy for European and NATO Policy – Thomas Goffus and Elbridge Colby, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy & Force Development. The parties discussed the further development of bilateral and NATO defense cooperation.

They stressed the necessity  to strengthen deterrence and Poland’s and the entire eastern NATO flank’s defense through US engagement, which would improve European security. This would involve a permanent and increasing presence of US troops in Poland, implementation of the Warsaw NATO Summit decisions and further adaptation of the Alliance to the changing security environment.

Insurance for the world

“As of June, Polish companies can buy “Insurance for the world” prepared by PKO Bank Polski and Export Credit Insurance Corporation Joint Stock Company (KUKE)”, announced Paweł Borys who is the President of the Management Board of the Polish Development Plan. He added that this was the first joint project of the institutions.

“Small and medium enterprises are very important for the dynamics of Polish economic growth and the implementation of the Responsible Development Plan. They are responsible for about 50% of the GDP and employ 70% of people in the private sector. KUKE’s new product, which is implemented with PKO Bank Polski, will make it easier for Polish micro-businesses to export their products and compete on international markets,” explained Borys.

“Insurance for the world” was prepared by KUKE (Polish Development Fund Group) and has been available since 1 June 2017 at PKO Bank Polski’s branches. The product is an answer to the risk entrepreneurs are taking when the expand abroad and risk financial losses. The insurance protects the buyer in case their contractor does not pay them for the goods, or services. It encompasses both domestic and foreign transactions ensuring financial liquidity and protecting the company from profit loss.

Unemployment down

The unemployment level in May was at 7.4%, in April it was at 7.7%, announced on Monday the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS). This means the indicator decreased by 0.3 percentage point.

The number of unemployed persons registered at Job Offices was 1 million 202.1 thousand this May. In the previous month it was 1 million 252.7 thousand people. In May out of all the registered unemployed, as many as 649.4 thousand were women.

GUS also stated that the number of newly registered unemployed persons in May was 143.1 thousand and 193.7 thousand persons deregistered.

New proposals for CHF debtors

The bill on a special fund that will support the process of converting the currency of debts in CHF is ready, but the Ministry of Finance is still consulting it with a special working group of the Financial Stability Committee. At the same time, the Chancellery of the President allows for changes in the so-called “spread act” and is now in talks with the head of the National Bank of Poland.

It looks like it is being negotiated if the main costs will constitute the return of spreads or the additional payments to the converted credits of people in the worst financial situation.

The Fund for Supporting Borrowers may be one of the key elements of solving the CHF debt issue. According to the Ministry of Finance the amendment that will update the way the Fund for Supporting Borrowers functions, is ready, but “some elements of the project are still being discussed as part of the Working Group for the Risk of Mortgages.” New rules on supporting the Fund, i.e. payments made by banks, are to encourage borrowers to voluntarily convert the credits.