Approximately 30,000 people and 13,500 flats have been already registered in the National Census of Population and Housing, said the chairman of Poland's Central Statistical Office (GUS) Dominik Rozkrut. The mandatory National Census of Population and Housing 2021 has been launched on Thursday.
Taking part in the National Census of Population and Housing 2021 is mandatory, but it's very easy and does not require leaving home. The easiest way is to do it online at spis.gov.pl, but it's not the only option. The online forms are available in four languages: Polish, English, Russian and Ukrainian.
People unable to do it online due to age or health condition can schedule a phone call from a census taker.
The GUS chairman Dominik Rozkrut said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, census takers would not attempt to contact anyone directly. Phone calls are expected to be launched in May, but any person willing to take part earlier can do it online.
"The census has been opened exactly at midnight today. I've received information that, so far, approximately 31,000 people and 13,5 households have been counted" - Mr Rozkrut said. He added that first persons filled out the census shortly after midnight.
He also reassured that all personal data submitted for the purpose of the census were protected by the law, statistical confidentiality, and that microdata was anonymised. Anyone violating the census statistical confidentiality could face prison term.
Both the census of population and housing, and the agricultural census, are obligatory surveys, conducted pursuant to Acts on censuses. At the same time, they are the largest statistical undertakings implemented not only in Poland, but globally. The implementation of such projects requires full mobilisation on the part of citizens and the State.
Censuses constitute important moments in the life of a nation, as this is when the State asks its citizens "how many of us are there?", "who are we?" or "how do we live?", as well as enquires about major information related to the functioning of society.
According to international organisations, censuses belong to the greatest organisational undertakings which mobilise whole nations in times of peace. They should be governed by the idea of professional achievement, which is of significance to the way citizens perceive their State.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, GUS