WARSAW, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Polish government is considering subsidies for electric vehicles as part of its efforts to reduce smog in cities, Deputy Minister of Environment Michal Kurtyka has said.
The subsidies would primarily target local authorities and businesses.
"We are working on a regulation which defines the terms for offering public support via the Low-Emission Transport Fund, a complex programme to support electric vehicles," Kurtyka explained on Thursday during a debate about the impact of transport on smog, organised by the Polish State News Agency (PAP).
The Low-Emission Transport Fund was launched on Jan. 1, 2019. Poland is now developing the legal framework to distribute the money. The country will notify the European Commission about the planned subsidies, the deputy minister explained.
He also said two state programmes were in place to support the development of electric buses.
Polish cities are some of the most polluted in the world, with transport and coal-based heating believed to be the main culprits. Poland has some of the oldest cars in the European Union, with an average age of 13 years.
Kondrad Marczynski, director of Warsaw Smog Alert, said during the debate that getting rid of the dirtiest cars would 'significantly improve' the quality of air in cities.
