KO’s next promise will have to wait. The Church Fund will not disappear so quickly
Another one, after the loan, 0 percent. The election promise of the Civic Coalition may be more difficult to implement than it originally seemed to the largest party in the new coalition. It’s about the Church Fund.
The Civic Coalition clearly declared its intentions regarding the Church Fund. The 16th item on the list of 100 specifics for the first 100 days is: “we will liquidate the Church Fund”. This is the most concisely formulated demand of all pre-election promises. It would therefore seem that the largest party forming the future government coalition has a clear plan in this matter and is determined to implement it. However, it may not be that easy.
Church Fund to be liquidated?
What next with transferring tax money to the Catholic Church? The implementation of item 16 on the Civic Coalition’s list of promises may prove more difficult than expected. As the editors of money.pl found out, the Church Fund may disappear, but this does not mean that the Church will be cut off from financing from taxpayers’ pockets.
The current solution may be replaced by an idea that was debated already in 2012. This was said by the senior marshal, member of the Polish People’s Party, Marek Sawicki.
Instead of the Church Fund, a tax deduction
The Church Fund may be replaced by a voluntary tax deduction. It would operate similarly to the currently known 1%, i.e. transferring part of one’s taxes to public benefit organizations. For years, Poles have been able to do this with their annual settlements.
In theory, this would be fulfilling an election promise and cutting off the Church from direct subsidies from the state budget. Let us recall that during the rule of the United Right, these rates increased significantly. In 2015 they amounted to PLN 128 million, and in 2022 they amounted to PLN 200 million.
– We can go back to the talks from 2012 – when the Church gave preliminary consent to such a solution. If a rational tax rate is established, I see no obstacles to introducing such a solution – Marek Sawicki told money.pl. – No one will forbid me, as a Catholic, to donate money to the Church if I feel the need – added.
The Civic Coalition and the New Left clearly support the liquidation of Church financing. However, the parties forming the Third Way, i.e. the second coalition force, have a different perspective on the matter. MPs from Poland 2050 and the Polish People’s Party may oppose cutting off the Church’s funds. It should be noted that regulations on this matter were not included in the coalition agreement.
