Poland aims to avoid rise in household energy prices - minister

Poland's government aims to avoid an increase in household energy prices, the newly appointed minister for state assets said on Monday. Poland decided to cap power prices for 2019 at mid-2018 levels at a cost of about 9 billion zlotys, covering the price of compensating utilities and cutting taxes and fees.

Energy prices became a hot topic as the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party fought a series of elections with promises of social handouts and curbs on energy price hikes. "I'm very clear: there will be no price hike for individuals and we will do our best to make sure it doesn't happen," Minister for State Assets Jacek Sasin told RMF FM radio.

"There was a hike for companies, especially for big firms. We were able to keep prices stable for small and medium-sized companies, but one can not do it indefinitely," he also said. Poland will hold a presidential election in 2020. The incumbent, PiS ally Andrzej Duda, will seek re-election.

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