2024-09-17 21:41 update: 2024-09-17, 21:43
Donald Tusk, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Tomasz Siemoniak. Photo PAP/Maciej Kulczyński
Losses caused by floods devastating southern Poland will run into billions, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said.
During a meeting of the crisis management team in Wroclaw, south-western Poland, on Tuesday evening, Tusk admitted that he was "no longer under any illusion" that the existing reserve of PLN 1 billion (EUR 234 million) would be sufficient to cover losses caused by the flood.
He estimated that the funds set aside would only be sufficient for emergency aid. "I was informed by the finance minister before I came in here that we already have PLN 2 billion (EUR 468 million) available at the moment," Tusk said.
According to the prime minister, the losses "will be counted in billions", so he welcomed the announcement that Poland would receive large amounts of European funds.
"I will continue to mobilise other countries affected by the floods so that we press the European Commission (EC) hard enough," he said.
He added that he also expects the EU to provide funds for the expansion of flood control infrastructure in countries particularly vulnerable to flooding.
"On Thursday, we will have the opportunity to discuss this in more detail with the EC head," Tusk said. (PAP)
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