The President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, has approved a new law regulating the provision of support to citizens of Ukraine. This was announced by the head of the president’s office, Zbigniew Bogucki.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Main Provisions of the New Law
According to the adopted document, a significant portion of social and medical benefits for Ukrainians will only be available to those who are officially employed in Poland. The restrictions affect a number of programs, including rehabilitation, drug addiction treatment, state health care programs, reimbursement for prescription medications, as well as cataract treatment services and dental care.
“The draft law contains information about specific benefits that will not be available to Ukrainian citizens who are not working in Poland, for example, regarding rehabilitation, drug addiction treatment programs, health care programs, coverage for prescription medication costs, and many other benefits, including cataract treatment services and dental services,” said Bogucki.
Reasons for the Changes and the Position of the Polish Authorities
According to a representative of the presidential office, previous vetoes by the president forced the government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, to seek compromise solutions that, while not ideal, became better for Polish society. A key aspect of the new law is the reduction of expenditures for those Ukrainians who are not employed in Poland, aiming to put an end to the so-called “social tourism” at the expense of Polish taxpayers.
It is worth noting that on September 17, the Senate of Poland supported a number of amendments to the special law regulating the status and assistance for Ukrainian refugees, as well as the payment of the “800+” assistance for foreigners, including migrants from Ukraine. The new draft law was prepared after President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the previous version of the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens at the end of August.