PiS submits referendum request to President

The questions would be related to lowering the retirement age, the minimum schooling age (currently six years in Poland) and imposing limits on the sale of state-owned forests.

The aplication was submitted by PiS deputy leader Beata Szydło.

Szydło was nominated by party leader Jarosław Kaczyński as the candidate for the post of Prime Minister in the autumn general election.

“I hope that President Komorowski sympathetically considers our request. If a referendum is being organised on 6 September which will cost taxpayers about [PLN] 100 million, it is worth taking advantage of this and ask three additional questions that are very important,” the PiS deputy head said.

Not a school trip

President Bronisław Komorowski said that the referendum issue is a serious one. Photo: PAP/Jacek Turczyk

Outgoing President Komorowski on Wednesday commented on the PiS request to add questions to the referendum which will ask three questions: on whether political parties should continue to be financed from the state budget; the introduction of single-mandate constituencies, and the introductions of a general principle of resolving doubt in interpreting the tax law for the taxpayer's benefit.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you have to treat this seriously,” President Komorowski said, referring to the PiS proposals.

Komorowski, who lost the May presidential election to PiS candidate Andrzej Duda, stressed that he has already asked the senate to approve the current questions in the referendum.

“One can sign up for a school trip,” Komorowski said, stressing the importance of the referendum. (rg)