Sejm Commission refuses to listen to entrepreneurs over ZUS contributions

The motion to postpone work on the bill was filed by Civic Platform Deputy Zbigniew Chlebowski who, along with some other deputies, believes that the Commission should continue its work only after consultations with entrepreneurs associations have been completed. The motion was opposed by Social Policy Minister Krzysztof Pater who stated that the bill is a part of the Hausner plan which entrepreneurs declared that they supported. He declared that the government wants entrepreneurs' ZUS contribution to rise proportionally to the increase of their income as, "We cannot have a situation where the owner of Mercedes store pays the same as a tailor," stated Pater. Business representatives claim that the project was not a part of the Hausner plan and accuse the government of refusing to talk to them. The Commission decided to continue working on the draft but will discuss the level of ZUS contributions at the very end of their deliberations. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2; Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 20) E.B.