Government throws support behind pro-family bills

 The new regulations increase the amount that may be deducted from personal income tax from zł.120 to zł.572 for one child. "This amount may be deducted from the tax due for 2007," said the Deputy Labor Minister Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska. The bills also offer self-employed persons to suspend running a business so they may take maternity leaves or look after their small children. Their social contributions will be paid by the state during the leave. However, this concerns only a small part of the self-employed who pay taxes on the basis of the so-called tax card. Experts welcomed the government's pro-family policy. "It is better to spend money on young people than on young pensioners," said Business Centre Club expert Wojciech Nagel. However, some experts fear that in view of the coming elections the Sejm deputies may extend the program further and make it even more costly.