Refugee Resentment on Rise as Poland’s Poorest Squeezed by Cost-of-Living Crisis

On the one hand, over the past few years social security and tax contributions for one-person businesses like those run by Suska and most of his colleagues at the bazaar have increased by a few hundred euros monthly. On top of that, the recent surge in inflation is clearly starting to hurt business: Suska and his colleagues say that the number of customers is down to a third compared to pre-pandemic times, while the cost of getting the merchandise to market has risen.

"People think twice or three times before buying anything," 50-year-old Malgorzata, who sells women's clothes and hats in a booth nearby to Suska's, explains.

"On top of that, I have a mortgage on my apartment, and the [monthly payment] has increased by 900 zloty (190 euros) in just the last couple of months," she adds. "We can barely make ends meet. We're basically trying to live day to day, and make it to retirement."

Like elsewhere in Europe, Poles have been feeling more and more the impact of rising food and energy prices brought on by a war happening at the tail end of a global pandemic. In June, Poland's inflation rate reached 15.6 per cent, one of the highest in Europe and a level not seen in this country since 1997.

And it's those on lower wages, who spend the biggest proportion of their income on food and utility bills, who are the worst affected. For a government like that of Law and Justice (PiS), whose popularity has been built on guaranteeing a decent life for "ordinary Poles", this could be hugely problematic, especially with the next general election looming in a year's time.

Homeless queue at a bus catering for the poor in the streets of Lodz, Poland, 04 January 2016. People in need for help can receive hot meals, additional clothes and basic medical...