In the Gazeta Wyborcza | Warsaw | of 15 March 2022 I found an article reporting on the problems with applying for and receiving state aid.*
There it is about the financial support for every Polish citizen who has taken in refugees coming from Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of that country. The amount is PLN 40 per night per person taken in. As the newspaper aptly points out, a great many administrative difficulties are connected with this. The author quotes an official who legitimately wonders how it is to be verified that twenty Ukrainians stayed overnight at one applicant’s house for a fortnight and have now found shelter in Germany?
Some people also stayed overnight at my house at intervals and are now in Lithuania or Germany. The only proof I can provide is a photo with my guests and private WhatsApp messages in Russian that they arrived safely. According to the prescribed procedures, I should apply for payment at the administrative office in Warsaw. The city then pays me the money. The voivode is the institution that provides the money. The voivodeship is run by the state (government), the voivode is only responsible to the prime minister.
Imagine, however, how much work the officials in Warsaw have to do. A few days ago, Mayor Trzaskowski said that 300 thousand refugees had arrived in Warsaw and an estimated 200 thousand had stayed. Applications can be submitted from 16 March 2022! According to the law, one receives the payment for a maximum period of 60 days. In some exceptional cases, this period can be extended. This means up to 1200 PLN per month, about 250 € per accepted and registered refugee.
The author also mentions that the administrative burden ends in an “Armageddon”, because there are several other tasks to be performed by the officials. For example, Ukrainians are allowed to apply for the so-called PESEL number, a personal identification number. With over 1.5 million refugees, the administration is quickly reaching its limit. The Poles have even been asked to postpone other applications that are not so important until later. Personally, I suggest that we perhaps postpone the tax returns for 2021 until 2023? However, I will not submit an application to receive financial assistance for accommodation.
*** Translated from German with DeepL Translator ***
*opened15.03.2022 at 18:24
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