Bolesławiec Mayor Piotr Roman is attending a meeting in Warsaw between local government officials and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The meeting concerns the energy crisis. The main topics of the meeting are cooperation between the government and local authorities in coal distribution and energy prices for next year.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki:

This morning at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, I met with local government officials to discuss the absolutely unprecedented energy and economic crisis into which Russia has deliberately plunged all of Europe. This is one of the fronts on which Putin is waging his brutal war. This situation requires special mobilization from the entire public administration—not only from the government, but also from city mayors, district governors, commune heads and mayors, who are directly responsible for ensuring that heat, electricity and coal reach residents. We all have a role to play at the various levels of public administration. I appeal for efficient cooperation and for this situation not to be used for political purposes.

In response to these challenges, we are creating a system to reduce increases in electricity prices for local authorities—through a price calculation mechanism and subsidies from the state budget. It involves freezing energy price increases at a certain level so that they do not rise by several hundred percent, as energy companies had proposed. We realize that the proposals sent to local authorities also affect vulnerable consumers—including hospitals, cultural institutions, and education and schooling institutions.

We are also working to improve the efficiency of coal distribution. Further shipments have been arriving for several months, and huge stockpiles are being stored at ports—but for the coal to reach consumers, we must also rely on the support of local government officials, who are closest to residents. I know that some municipalities are already reaching agreements among themselves, for which I would like to thank them sincerely.

The Prime Minister promised that the government would not leave local authorities to fend for themselves.

We will learn about the results of the meeting soon.