"We believe, I deeply believe, that we need – especially in times of crisis – Polish national champions," said Morawiecki.
Mateusz Morawiecki/Facebook
Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, has said a question in an upcoming referendum will focus on the ownership of state assets, giving Poles the chance to choose between maintaining public control or selling them to “German and French concerns.”
The referendum, which will also cover an EU migrant relocation plan, is due to go ahead on October 15, the same day as the general election.
In a recording published on his Facebook page on Friday, Morawiecki said “this is basically a question of whether we believe that when a crises hits, the assets are in Polish hands and can be mobilised to support citizens, or would we like – as the liberals have proposed in recent months – to sell off all of Poland’s assets.”
“Do we want various companies that have a powerful position on the Central European market, and in the case of Orlen it can be said the European market, to belong to German and French concerns,” he continued.
According to Morawiecki, “in the years 2008-2015, more than 1,000 enterprises that were partially or wholly controlled by the State Treasury were sold.”
He alleged that the PLN 57 billion (EUR 12,856 billion) raised from their sale was “eaten up” by the then government, led by Donald Tusk, now the leader of the main opposition grouping, and these funds have not been used for the benefit of the state.
“We believe, I deeply believe, that we need – especially in times of crisis – Polish national champions,” said Morawiecki.
Earlier on Friday Jarosław Kaczyński, the head of the ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) party and deputy prime minister, said in a video that the public would decide whether the wealth of generations would remain in Polish hands.
“For us, the voice of normal Poles is decisive,” he said. “The voice of foreign politicians, including Germans, is of no importance, that is why in key issues we want to appeal to you directly, in a referendum.
“The first question will be: Do you support the sell-off of state-owned enterprises?” Kaczynski added. “The Germans want to install (opposition leader Donald – PAP) Tusk in Poland, to sell of the common wealth. His background says it clearly.”