Polish Prolifers Decry Tax Hike on Baby Clothes

According to a report by Joanna Najfeld of Polskie Radio's External Service, Polish prolifers are protesting the European Commission's demand for Poland to increase the tax on baby clothes from 7% to 22%.

Paweł Wościcki from Polska Federacja Ruchów Obrony Życia, the Polish Federation of Pro-Life Movements, has appealed to Prime Minister Donald Tusk to oppose the tax hike, pointing out that

In a recent report, the European Union said that as many as 26% of children in Poland are in danger of poverty. This is more than in other EU countries. Why then, does the European Union want to make it more difficult for the families by telling Poland to increase the tax on baby articles? Especially since in other European countries, such as Great Britain, the tax on baby clothes is 0 percent. The British have higher incomes and levels of poverty are much lower.

I wish my Polish language skills were better--then I could delve further into why the Federation has taken on this issue. Is it that ultranationalistic paranoia which, somehow, absurdly equates the EU with genuine occupiers of Poland like the Kulturkampf Prussians, the Mein Kampf Nazis, and the Soviets? A stance that, like the one so prevalent in the States, links prolife to "family values" and tax cuts instead of a serious, substantive government commitment to a comprehensive social welfare system?

I can only hope that the Federation is motivated to ease hardships for impoverished families and thus to alleviate pressures towards abortion.