Polish Senate swears in new member

On Wednesday Poland’s Senate welcomed Rafał Sura, a member of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, who will now head the Monetary Policy Council. The new MPC member replaced Marek Chrzanowski, who resigned from membership in October. Chrzanowski was later appointed chairman of the Financial Supervision Commission (KNF). Also, Marek Dąbrowski, of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) party was approved to serve on the MPC. The Senate also unanimously approved a bill proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, composed under recommendations made in its consultations with the European Commission, which will see Polish farmers receiving direct support for some grains and fruits. There will now be separate forms of support payments to grain legumes and payments to forage. With respect to fruits, strawberries will continue to be receive direct subsidization; however, direct subsidies to raspberries will be discontinued. A spokesperson for the government said, “this change will support existing potential in this segment better utilized.”