Tribunal rejects Civic Platform arguments and rules tax on interest lawful

The Constitutional Tribunal (TK) yesterday ruled that the income tax on interest from savings and on earnings from State Treasury securities and other bonds is in accordance with the Constitution. As a result, such income will be taxed as of March 1, 2002. The Tribunal said introducing the new tax regulations was justified, in view of the country's difficult economic situation. "After analyzing the whole issue the judges did not see any infringement of citizens' rights," explained the head of the TK, Marek Safjan. A number of Civic Platform (PO) deputies had claimed that certain aspects of the new tax law violated the Constitution. In particular they questioned the timing of its introduction. The law became effective on December 1, 2001, just 10 days after its publication. However, the TK did not agree with the PO arguments. (Puls Biznesu, p. 13) M.T.