Poland's PM to deliver policy speech in Parliament on Dec. 11

WARSAW, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Wednesday confirmed Dec. 11 as the date on which he will present his new government's official program for the next four years (also known as expose) to the lower house of Parliament (Sejm), followed by a vote of confidence.

Sejm Marshal (speaker) Szymon Holownia and Morawiecki had a meeting on Wednesday. According to Morawiecki, their meeting would talk about extending the zero percent VAT (value-added tax) rate on food, continuing the mortgage holidays and freezing energy prices.

At a press conference after the meeting, Holownia said that the vote of confidence for the government is scheduled for 3 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Dec. 11.

If Morawiecki's government loses the vote, it would trigger the so-called "second constitutional step," allowing a candidate for prime minister to be nominated by a group of at least 46 members of the Parliament, the Parliament speaker said.

On Monday, Morawiecki and his cabinet were sworn in. The new prime minister has two weeks to present his government's program and get a vote of confidence. However, the Law and Justice party, which Morawiecki represents, has only 194 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, while the opposition holds 248 seats.