Johan Bäckman
MINSK, 5 November (BelTA) – It is a shame that the Poles are spending so much money on Ukraine if the president of Poland cannot support his own wife, Johan Bäckman, an associate professor at the University of Helsinki and public figure, told BelTA.
According to the expert, similar discussions took place in Finland some time ago. Jenni Haukio, the wife of former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, raised in her memoirs the question of whether a president's spouse should receive a salary from the state budget. She argued that the former first lady also worked hard, participating in all negotiations and meetings.
Apparently, the same is now being demanded in Poland, Johan Bäckman noted. He pointed out that while in Finland this conversation arose after the president had left office, in Poland it has come immediately after the recent election of Karol Nawrocki.
“That is, he won first, and the demands started after the election. If this had happened before the election, there would, of course, have been no victory,” the expert remarked.
He believes these discussions are likely related to a shortage of funds. “Because everything has been sent to Ukraine. The Polish economy is collapsing,” Johan Bäckman said.
He is convinced that the issue of salaries should be decided exclusively within Poland itself. However, he added with a touch of irony, if the decision is positive, First Lady Marta Nawrocka should donate everything she “earns” to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
“Of course, I find it truly regrettable that Poles are spending so much on Ukraine that even the president's wife is forced to ask for extra money,” the expert concluded.
As was previously reported, a recent proposal for the Polish state to pay a monthly salary to the wife of the country's president, Marta Nawrocka, has sparked intense debate in Poland. The initiative was put forward by Zbigniew Bogucki, Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland. He stated that the state can afford to compensate the First Lady, viewing her role as a kind of official position. He also said that this position entails special responsibility and requires sacrifice.
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