Mayor of Warsaw to ask city council to reverse unpopular decision on property ownership

Trzaskowski announced his decision at a press conference in the Sejm on Tuesday. "I have spoken the club's presidium and I will speak to all of its members today. I shall recommend a return to the 98-percent discount because I listen to Varsovians, as it's the essential issue," said the mayor. Asked if "received direct orders" from Civic Platform leader Grzegorz Schetyna, he replied: "This 100 percent my own decision".

"I'm a responsible politician and that's why I took this decision personally, not shifting it on anyone else. It's true that I have encouraged my colleagues to vote for lowering the discount, in the name of justice. And today it's also true that I'm personally taking responsibility of listening to voice of the city residents, hence my recommendation," the mayor of Warsaw underscored.

"It was me who persuaded the councilors to put forward a fair solution. It was fair because the proposal of a 98-percent discount for all who wish to switch from perpetual usufruct to full ownership would look unfair compared to government's proposal of 60-percent discount for properties located on land owned by the State Treasury. This would have been an absolute injustice as there are tenements in Warsaw situated partially on city-owned land and in part on State Treasury's land and in which case the discount would be 60 percent," Trzaskowski emphasised.

The essence of the problem lies in deceit. A few days before the elections, Civic Platform voted for a 98-99-percent discount when switching from perpetual usufruct to permanent ownership of property. All of a sudden they retract from that decision, said deputy justice minister Partyk Jaki on Tuesday. Jaki was Trzaskowski's chief rival in the race for mayorship.

According to Law and Justice MP Michał Dworczyk, mayor Trzaskowski's reliability "equalled zero" at the very start of his tenure.

Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP