The Council of Ministers has adopted a draft act that changes the way agricultural pensions are calculated. The proposed solution will effectively lead to a de facto equalisation with pensions from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). Farmers will also be able to receive a supplement to agricultural pensions. The state must provide economic and legal security for farmers. It is they who provide our country with food security and contribute to Poland's development with their hard work.

We listen to parents, teachers and expert communities. We see the need to expand psychological and pedagogical support in schools. Specialists are key in this process. That is why we have already allocated 520 million PLN in 2022 for the first stage of standardising the employment of psychologists, pedagogues, speech therapists, educational therapists and special educators in mainstream schools. In 2023, it will be over PLN 1.8 billion. The educational subsidy will also increase to PLN 64.4 billion.

A formal European Council meeting was held on 15 December with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in attendance. One of the highlights of the summit was the adoption of the next, 9th package of sanctions against Russia and the negotiation of a tax agreement for multinational corporations. In addition, topics related to the consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the current situation in the energy market, and security and defence were raised. The day before the meeting with the European Council, the Prime Minister attended a summit between the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also held in Brussels.

Every year in Poland we build more roads which increase the safety and comfort of living and travelling. A responsible policy involves taking care of the continuous development of the whole country. In recent years, we have built a total of more than 2,000 km of new expressways, motorways and ring roads. It is not only the connections to the big cities that we are committed to developing but also the creation and improvement of numerous municipal and county roads. Since the very beginning, the development of road infrastructure throughout Poland has been one of the priorities of our government. Today, the Council of Ministers has adopted another solution – the Government’s National Road Construction Programme with a perspective until 2023. This means that around 2,500 km of new motorway and expressway sections will be built in our country.

The Light is a symbol of warmth, love, peace and hope. For 30 years, Polish scouts have been taking part in passing on the Peace Light of Bethlehem – so that it can be present at Christmas tables. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki emphasised the importance of this year's Peace Light of Bethlehem under the motto – Light for You. In the current situation, hope for peace is particularly important for our Ukrainian neighbours.

On 13 December 1981, the communist authorities announced martial law in Poland. This decision had far-reaching consequences for the entire Polish nation. Solidarity members and leaders, members of trade union branches at large factories and members of the democratic opposition were interned, along with intellectuals associated with the Solidarity movement. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited the Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners of the Polish People's Republic in Warsaw on the 41st anniversary of the introduction of martial law. The head of the Polish government emphasised that today we are expressing gratitude for the courage and sacrifice of all those who were repressed during martial law.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met with the representatives of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. The company announced its plans to open a new plant in Jawor to produce fully electric vans. The investment will be worth EUR 1.3 billion. The factory is expected to employ 2,500 people in the future. As the Prime Minister pointed out, the Polish government is creating the best possible environment for investors, both from the tax and regulatory perspective.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak met with soldiers of the 20th Mechanised Brigade in Morąg. During the visit, state-of-the-art K2 tanks were handed over to the military unit. The delivery of those vehicles from South Korea was incredibly fast and they arrived just a few months after the agreement was signed. The K2 Black Panther tanks are an example of cutting-edge military technology, developed in the 21st century and compatible with NATO systems. The tanks are also highly capable on rough terrain and adapted to operations on Polish soil. The K2 tanks are only part of the deliveries as part of a historic investment in the expansion and modernisation of the Polish Army. At the same time, we are pursuing orders of equipment from the USA and we are significantly increasing troop numbers and funding. We are also ensuring regular and intensive cooperation with NATO allies.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki gave the good news to Silesia during his visit to Zabrze. The European Commission has approved European Funds for the region for the coming years. Silesia will receive a record amount of EUR 5.1 billion. As much as EUR 2.2 billion of this pool has been allocated for the energy transition from the Just Transition Fund. This is a guarantee of modern and responsible development that will benefit the region's residents, entrepreneurs and local governments.

Russia has deliberately thrown Europe into an energy crisis. This requires mobilisation from the entire public administration – the government and local governments. Our government has created an effective mechanism for distributing coal to citizens. Thanks to a subsidy from the state budget, local governments can buy coal from importers well below the market price – up to PLN 1,500 per tonne. This means better access to that commodity and lower prices for citizens. This is not the only government action aimed at protecting households from rising coal prices. We have also introduced a one-off coal allowance of PLN 3,000.