President Karol Nawrocki made key legislative decisions on Thursday, vetoing an amendment to the National Council of the Judiciary Act and the "Active Farmer" bill. Simultaneously, the head of state signed the National Cybersecurity System Act, though referring it for subsequent review to the Constitutional Tribunal, and provisions phasing out aid for Ukrainians. These decisions have sparked a deep dispute with Donald Tusk's government, which accuses the president of deliberately blocking systemic state reforms.

Veto against KRS reform

The president rejected the amendment to the KRS Act, claiming it violates the Constitution of the Republic of Poland by attempting to remove judges appointed after 2018.

Blockade of agricultural program

The "Active Farmer" bill was vetoed due to concerns about direct payments for landowners, which the government considered a huge mistake.

Cybersecurity to CT

The amendment on the National Cybersecurity System was signed, but the president referred it to the Constitutional Tribunal to examine its compliance with the law.

Changes in aid for Ukrainians

Karol Nawrocki signed provisions phasing out solutions from the Ukrainian special act, arguing that effective pressure forced the government to fix errors.

On Thursday, the Presidential Palace became the center of political dispute following the announcement of decisions concerning four significant legal acts. President Karol Nawrocki decided to veto the amendment to the National Council of the Judiciary Act, arguing that it introduces unacceptable segregation of judges and threatens the rule of law. According to the head of state, changes aimed at "depoliticizing" the body actually open the door to political pressure on the judiciary. Another veto concerned the "Active Farmer" program. The president justified his opposition with concerns for the interests of smaller farms, claiming that behind the attractive name lie regulations harmful to the Polish countryside. Since the political transformation in 1989, relations between the president and a government from a different political camp have often resulted in so-called veto wars, which is inherent to the specifics of Poland's semi-presidential system.The government camp criticizes these actions, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the president's conduct as "acting blindly," aimed solely at harming the executive branch. Meanwhile, the Chancellery of the President announced the signing of the Cybersecurity Act. Despite the signature, this act will go to the Constitutional Tribunal for subsequent review. The president also signed an amendment phasing out the special act on aid for Ukrainian citizens, noting that his earlier pressure forced the government to improve the document. Statistics show that in the first year of his term, Karol Nawrocki has already used his veto power 25 times, placing him among the presidents who most frequently block legislative initiatives. Karol Nawrocki: 25, Lech Wałęsa: 27, Aleksander Kwaśniewski: 3525 — acts vetoed by President Karol Nawrocki during the first year of his term[{"aspect": "KRS Act", "before": "Adopted by the Sejm", "after": "Presidential veto"}, {"aspect": "Active Farmer", "before": "Adopted by the Sejm", "after": "Presidential veto"}, {"aspect": "Cybersecurity system", "before": "Sent for signature", "after": "Signed and referred to CT"}, {"aspect": "Aid for Ukrainians", "before": "Special act", "after": "Signed phase-out"}]

Mentioned People

  • Karol Nawrocki — President of the Republic of Poland, who vetoed two key bills and signed two others.
  • Donald Tusk — Prime Minister, criticizing the president's decisions as harmful to the state's interests.
  • Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, assessing the veto of the agricultural bill as a gigantic mistake.