Can we talk about the security of public finance in Poland? – the state and prospects

Abstract

Purpose – The pervasiveness and persistence of budgetary imbalances and systematic growth of public debt in Poland and in the majority of modern countries has resulted in the fact that the subject of public finance security is important and topical. The aim of the article is to analyse the state of public finance security in Poland, to characterise selected determinants influencing security and to indicate current and future threats. Methods – Analysis of national and foreign source literature, primary and secondary statistical data (desk research), deductive reasoning. Approach – The location of public finance security within economic and financial security, indicating the foundations and pillars of national economic security, discussing the determinants of public finance security theoretically and practically, analysis and inference in the scope of three categories of deficit and public debt (of the government budget, public finance sector and general government), indicating threats to Polish public finance which, according to the author, affect not only currently but may also affect the future. Findings – The analysis presented in the article demonstrates that the phenomenon of imbalance in national finance has become an inherent part of the Polish practice of public funds management. The budgetary deficit, which has been present for over thirty years, as well as systematic growth of public debt, result in the fact that the threats of the destabilising role of public finance in relation to the whole financial system and the real economy have become one of the main challenges for Polish authorities. The fact of presenting not very reliable data in public statistics is also worrying. Lowering some economic indicators is not a new problem; in total, in the years 2004–2016 the deficit of public finance sector was underestimated by PLN 158.6 billion.