Nawrocki vetoes law extending financial aid to Ukrainians in Poland
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has announced on Monday that he did not sign the amendment extending the effects of the law granting financial aid for Ukrainian citizens living in Poland, effectively blocking its adoption.
As his motive, Nawrocki cited the lack of any alteration to the law that would exclude from collecting the PLN 800 (EUR 188) benefit those Ukrainians who do not currently work in Poland. "The law on aid to Ukrainian citizens does not make the adjustment that was the subject of public debate,” he said. "I will not change my opinion and I believe that '800 plus' should only be available to those Ukrainians who undertake the effort of working in Poland."
During the presidential campaign of 2025, both leading candidates, the victorious Nawrocki and his close rival, Rafal Trzaskowski supported by the centrist government, pushed the idea to change the law so that child benefits, such as the monthly allowance of PLN 800 per child, be paid only to working migrants.
The change would affect mostly Ukrainian refugees due to their prevailing number and the fact that many of them came to Poland with children when they fled from Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
During the legislative process of drafting the amendment, MPs from Nawrocki's political camp of the socially-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) wanted the payment of the 800 plus benefit to Ukrainian citizens to be conditional on employment or running a business in Poland, as well as tightening the rules for acquiring Polish citizenship. However, their proposal was not accepted.
Shortly after the veto, Poland's Minister of Family and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bak, lashed out at the decision, saying the aid supports children and that parents should receive assistance in the event of unexpected unemployment.
"800 plus are funds for children. Children who are not responsible for whether their mom has a job, or has just lost it, or is taking care of a sick grandma or a newborn," she wrote on X on Monday, adding that one should not be punished for losing their job.
The amendment to the law on aid for Ukrainian citizens which was not signed by Nawrocki, was proposed in connection with the continuing armed conflict in that country. It envisaged extending temporary protection granted to Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war until March 4, 2026. It also clarified the conditions for receiving the 800 plus benefit so that it would also be paid for children who completed secondary school before turning 18 and who continue education at a university or in vocational qualification courses. The amendment did not contain the limits to the conditions of receiving the benefit proposed by PiS, hence Nawrocki's protest. Without the president's signature, the bill will not come into force.(PAP)
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