My role in the deregulation team ends at the end of May, Rafał Brzoska, the representative of entrepreneurs for simplifying regulations and head of InPost, told PAP. He argued that Polish regulations are more beneficial for foreign corporations than for domestic companies.
Brzoska announced that he will return to his duties at his company at the end of May. He added that during his 100 days of work for the public good in the “SprawdzaMY” initiative he created, InPost did not suffer, but – as he noted – “in the long term, no company is able to develop without a leader”.
In his opinion, Polish regulations are more beneficial to foreign corporations than to domestic enterprises. He believes that “we are only recipients of regulations imposed by Brussels, which limit our competitiveness”. As an example, he pointed to the transfer pricing mechanism, which allows foreign corporations to transfer part of their profits, which results in a reduction of the tax base in Poland. “Deregulation is also intended to eliminate this phenomenon”, emphasized Brzoska.
See alsoFill your PIT online and get the maximum tax refund for 2024.
In his opinion, the biggest “legal monster” that knocks out entrepreneurs and ordinary taxpayers is the lack of presumption of innocence of the taxpayer in a clash with the state machine. “Please note that in criminal law, every criminal, even if he kills or rapes, the prosecutor must prove that he committed such a prohibited act, and in some cases, that he did it intentionally. And the taxpayer? He is the one who must prove that he is innocent, that the mistake he made was not intentional,” the head of InPost pointed out.
In addition, as he said, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens are hurt by the fact that state bodies are not fulfilling their obligations. For example, they do not respect the deadlines for issuing decisions, which significantly hinders the operations of companies.
In an interview with PAP, the entrepreneur also expressed regret over the decline of the work ethic in the European Union. “If we want to be a Europe that wins, we must focus on hard work, innovation, conquering new peaks,” he noted.
In February of this year, Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposed to InPost CEO Rafał Brzoska to lead a team that would prepare a package of deregulation proposals. The CEO of InPost accepted the proposals, and in March the government received the first tranche of deregulation solutions. The team wants to submit a total of around 400 proposals for simplifying regulations.
Rafał Brzoska: Politics is not and will never be my goal
Politics is not and will never be my goal – Rafał Brzoska, the representative of entrepreneurs for deregulation and head of InPost, emphasized in an interview with PAP. He added that his role in the deregulation team ends at the end of May, and that he and Elon Musk are connected by the fact that they played “Civilization” in their youth.
PAP: In February, you accepted Prime Minister Donald Tusk's proposal to lead the team deregulating the economy. Was that planned in advance?
Rafał Brzoska: Do you remember my face when I heard this proposal? It said it all. I was incredibly surprised, especially since I had been quite strongly criticizing the Polish government for not conducting an effective dialogue with entrepreneurs for the past few months; that our country does not have a development-oriented policy, that we are only recipients of regulations imposed by Brussels that limit our competitiveness, such as the Green Deal. What is worse, it is not only the government that is to blame for this, but all of us, because as citizens we allow Poland to be a peripheral country for large foreign corporations, a place that is often – instead of investments and partnership relations – perceived only through the prism of tax optimization and transfer of profits to the countries where they are headquartered.
PAP: Do you think that the initiative “We Check”, a team of experts identifying weaknesses in Polish law, can change this? How can you influence, for example, the EU's climate policy or the Brussels bureaucracy?
RB: I recently gave an interview for Czech television, in which I talked about Polish deregulation. The Czechs came to us because they thought that our initiative had potential that they could implement in their own country. Imagine that in every country of the European Union that wants to improve its competitiveness, similar teams are now being formed. It may turn out that “SprawdzaMY” will be such a centrifugal force that will reach all the way to Brussels.
PAP: You have many years of running a business behind you, as well as reviewing current economic law. What do you think is the biggest “legal monster” that knocks out entrepreneurs and ordinary taxpayers?
RB: No presumption of innocence of the taxpayer in a clash with the state machine. Please note that in criminal law, every criminal, even if he kills or rapes, the prosecutor must prove that he committed such a prohibited act, and in some cases, that he did it intentionally. And the taxpayer? He is the one who must prove that he is innocent, that the mistake he made was not intentional. This is upside down.
PAP: Have you been in such a situation?
RB: Yes. I sent my mother money every month so she could support herself despite a very low pension, and after a few years I learned that I had to pay tax on the amount paid. Of course, I paid the tax with interest, but I had to submit a self-criticism – “active regret”, prove that the failure to pay tax was due to my ignorance, and not a desire to defraud the State Treasury. I was convinced that a gift in the so-called first line of kinship is not taxed – my mistake.
In addition, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens are very hurt by the fact that state authorities do not fulfill their obligations. We are criticized for every mistake or delay, but they often keep their obligations. Currently, the regulations state in over 20 thousand cases that the office has a specific time to issue a decision to a citizen, but in over 80 percent of cases these deadlines are not met. We want a simple solution – that if the decision is not issued within a strictly defined time, it should be issued automatically in favor of the applicant – that is, that our application will be considered positively. Another blockage that affects both companies and people is the lack of access to courts. That is why we have proposed proposals for regulations that are to unclog the justice system without any drastic reform.
PAP: Are you considering getting involved in politics?
RB: Politics is not and will never be my goal. As I announced in February, my role in the deregulation team ends at the end of May. I will then return to my duties at InPost in 100%, because recently I have been spending a large part of the day on the “We Check” project. On Saturday and Sunday nights, I often review deregulation proposals – checking, for example, whether there are any lobbying inserts there. And I know that during this time I could refine InPost's strategy for entering another market or launching a new service or spend time with my loved ones. There will be no negative effects during these 100 days, but in the long term, no company is able to develop without a leader. Please do not misunderstand me. The awareness that you are doing something in the spirit of a public mission, for your country and the good of Poles, gives you enormous energy and a sense of great satisfaction. It also makes you aware of why many Poles choose public service as their life path – police officers, teachers, nurses, and also civil servants. It seems to me that the desire and need to do something useful for everyone and for one's homeland is in each of us and can be a true calling.
PAP: Can a state be managed like a company?
RB: Of course, yes. Because what is the difference between a state and a company? In a company, you have to take care of the safety of employees, you have to provide them with work clothes, meals, health care, pay contributions. The operations department in a company is nothing more than the administration, which provides public and commercial services so that the state can function.
PAP: However, many economists believe that the state should not be guided by profit, that the redistribution of goods, the creation of jobs and the well-being of citizens are also important.
RB: That's right, but the state must also grow, because growth is generating GDP, and a country that does not do this goes bankrupt – just like a company that does not generate profits goes bankrupt. That is why the role of the state is to create such legal conditions for entrepreneurs that they can develop and pay taxes, which are the basis of the budget, the functioning of the state and people. Taxes generated by the private sector provide funds for necessary social programs, but also for military expenditure – our security. Meanwhile, in Poland it is easier for foreign corporations to do business, which, for example, use the transfer pricing mechanism in flows between their companies, to withdraw part of their profits, which results in a reduction of the tax base in Poland. Deregulation is also intended to eliminate this phenomenon.
PAP: InPost continues its foreign expansion. Are you interested in entering the United States market?
RB: No. And to anticipate your question, I will say that it is not related to Donald Trump's recent decisions. I believe that Europe is such a large market that we have something to do here for the next five years. However, I admit that it hurts me when I see how Europeans are wasting their potential. How the work ethic is disappearing, how much applause is gained by various activists who, on social media, convey to the young generation the idea that you can achieve something without work. Neither Poland nor the EU will develop if we make the work ethic disgusting. Yes, I would also like a four-day work week, longer holidays, but this is one of the reasons why European companies are losing their competitiveness. If we want to be a Europe that wins, we must focus on hard work, innovation, conquering new peaks.
PAP: Some media see an analogy between your role in deregulating Polish law and the role of Elon Musk, who is responsible for cleaning up the Trump administration. Is the term “Polish Elon Musk” a compliment for you or not necessarily?
RB: I have great respect for Elon Musk's business achievements. I believe he is a visionary who has been able to realize visions that even go beyond our planet. But the deregulation carried out by our Polish team has nothing in common with Musk's deregulation – if only because of the difference between the systems that prevail in the United States and Poland. Besides, we do not make the law. What unites us is probably the fact that we played “Civilization” in our youth. Its characteristic feature is building an empire and ruling it from prehistoric times to the near future.
Ewa Wesołowska (PAP)
The full interview will be published before 9am.
ewes/ mick/ amac/
