Polish President Karol Nawrocki decided to veto a law that concerns assistance to Ukrainians fleeing the war.
Points of attention
- Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a law aimed at supporting Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war, stating that only those who work and integrate into Polish society should receive assistance.
- The vetoed law would have extended temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 2026, with Nawrocki emphasizing the importance of social justice and fairness to native Poles.
- Nawrocki's decision is not directed against Ukrainians in Poland who contribute positively to society, but aims to ensure that Poles have equal rights and privileges in their own country.
Will Poland continue to help Ukrainian refugees?
Nawrocki noted that during the 3.5 years of full-scale war with Russia, Poland's strategic interests have not changed, and Russia is the biggest threat to security. However, according to him, the situation in the field of finance and public sentiment has changed significantly.
The law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine, which I received, does not introduce amendments that were the subject of public discussion. I do not change my opinion and intend to fulfill my obligations. I believe that only those Ukrainians who accept the challenge of working in Poland should receive "800+".
Karol Navrotsyi
President of Poland
The new version of the law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine, vetoed by Navrotsky, also provides for the extension of temporary protection granted to citizens of Ukraine fleeing the war until March 4, 2026.
"I believe that we must achieve some social justice here. Poles in their own country should be at least on an equal footing with our guests from Ukraine. For me, this is a matter of principle, which is why I did not sign the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in this form," Interia also quotes Navrotskyi as explaining.
At the same time, he added that he had proposed his own draft law on this issue.
I call on the government and all parties in parliament to work hard on the form of this law within two weeks.
The head of the Polish President's Office, Zbigniew Bohutski, emphasized at a press conference on August 25 that this decision is not directed against Ukrainians residing in Poland.
He stressed that those who work legally, pay taxes, or have their own businesses should not be afraid of change. "However, there was a group that did not show interest in this," he added.
Bogutsky noted that the law must be fair to Poles.
It is the Poles who are the masters in their country, and it is the Poles who should have the greatest privileges, not any other nationality.
