Summary
Severe flooding in Poland during 2024 has led to significant loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure, prompting discussions about potential amendments to the national budget. As the government assesses the impact, Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski has indicated that changes to the 2024 budget are likely, with estimates of damages running into tens of billions of zlotys.
The floods, described as the worst in central Europe in at least two decades, have resulted in at least nine confirmed deaths in Poland, with additional casualties reported across the region. The torrential rains have devastated towns, inundating homes and damaging critical infrastructure such as bridges and roads. In response to the disaster, Poland’s government is considering reallocating funds from its budget and utilizing European Union resources to aid recovery efforts. The draft budget for 2025 has already earmarked $836 million as a reserve for natural disaster response, reflecting the urgency of the situation. Additionally, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that billions of euros will be made available to assist in recovery, although local officials have expressed concerns that this may not be sufficient to cover the extensive damages.
Poland's flooding death toll rises after more bodies found
Sep. 28 / Voanews “ The death toll in Poland from recent floods rose to nine after two more bodies were found, the national police chief said Saturday. One person is still...
Flooding in Poland Makes Changes to 2024 Budget More Likely, Says Minister
Sep. 23 / Usnews “ WARSAW (Reuters) - Devastating floods in Poland have increased the probability of changes to the 2024 budget and decisions could be made by the government...