The safety of Polish women and men is a priority for the government. Essential to this safety is the functioning of the Voluntary Fire Service (Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna, OSP). Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced additional support for OSP firefighters. The units will be equipped with 668 new fire engines. This huge support will enable firefighters to reach the scene of an accident or fire more quickly. The equipment will save the lives and possessions of citizens. Since 2016, we have steadily increased spending on the development of fire stations. The purchase of new equipment is made through government programmes.

On 9-10 February, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki attended an extraordinary meeting of the European Council. The guest of honour at the summit was the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski. The main topic of the meeting was the security of Europe in the context of Russia's barbaric aggression and its consequences. We must support Ukraine as it fights for the security of Europe, including Poland. We are a leader in providing and coordinating support for our eastern neighbour. The head of the Polish government also met with the Ukrainian president. He stressed the need for European, multifaceted support for struggling Ukrainian citizens. Economic, business and migration issues were also discussed during the meeting.

At the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki attended the inauguration of the new distribution of European funds for the years 2021-2027. EUR 76 billion, or almost PLN 350 billion, will be allocated to our country. The money will be earmarked for, among other things, health care, infrastructure, improving the climate or increasing the competitiveness of our economy. The first advance payments from the new EU budget have already been made - around PLN 5.2 billion has so far been transferred to Poland.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took part in a videoconference with the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the leaders of Belgium, Malta, Bulgaria and Hungary. The politicians discussed topics that will come up at the upcoming European Council meeting - Russian aggression against Ukraine, economic issues and migration. Working meetings prior to the European Council meetings serve primarily to coordinate further discussions, exchange views on common issues and raise any concerns. The next European Council meeting is scheduled for 9 and 10 February 2023.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Chief of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister Marek Kuchcinski inaugurated the first “Warsaw Conference. Permanent Working Review Conference in Support of Ukraine”. Through regular meetings in Warsaw, Conference participants will monitor the international community’s efforts to support Ukraine. Speakers at the opening included Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych and US Department of State representative Scott Turner. Maintaining the international community’s strong commitment to ongoing assistance to the Ukrainian state and society is particularly important in recent times in the face of repeated threats to strike again from the Russian aggressor.

The government wants to protect Polish bakeries and confectioners from high gas prices caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The maximum price for businesses using natural gas ovens will be PLN 200.17 per MWh. This will significantly relieve companies that sometimes pay over PLN 600 per MWh for gas. Thanks to the government’s solution, the price of baked goods will be acceptable for Poles.

The Polish Army has been neglected, disarmed and it’s size has been reduced for many years. Many units and training centres of the army have been liquidated. Russia's aggression against an independent Ukraine has caused drastic changes in the geopolitics of our region. We know that freedom is not given once and for all and, in the face of danger, we must be able to defend it. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has visited the 18th Mechanised Division in Siedlce. Today, this new division is one of the examples that we are rebuilding and modernising the Polish army, creating new military units and encouraging people to serve in the Polish military. We are buying state-of-the-art equipment and organising regular training with allies who are based in our country as part of NATO. Every centimeter of Polish land is safe.

Poland is one of the leaders of support for embattled Ukraine. We are donating military equipment and engaging in humanitarian and logistical assistance. Our determined actions place us at the forefront of countries supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki discussed the challenges of assisting our eastern neighbour with European Union Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčić. Together they visited the repository of the Governmental Strategic Reserves Agency (RARS) in Komorowo near Ostrów Mazowiecka.

The Statistical Office of the European Union, Eurostat, reported that in November 2022, the unemployment rate in Poland was 3 per cent. We are on the podium of countries with the lowest unemployment in the EU. Thanks to our actions, employers are not only maintaining jobs but also creating new ones. We have reduced CIT from 19 per cent to 9 per cent for entrepreneurs, and for employees, we have reduced income tax from 17 per cent to 12 per cent, raised the minimum wage and the hourly rate.

This year marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus. On this occasion, the World Copernican Congress is being held in Toruń. This is a very important event for Polish science. It is attended by several hundred eminent scientists and guests. During the Congress, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met with the Nobel Prize winners in physics. The event also honoured all Polish scientists who have contributed to the development and expansion of knowledge over the years. The Prime Minister also attended the presentation of a painting of Nicolaus Copernicus in a new version. The government cares about Polish monuments, and to this end, the Prime Minister decided to provide financial support to secure the painting.