President Karol Nawrocki signed the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens. “The end of the 800 Plus benefit for Ukrainian citizens who do not work here in Poland,” said the head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, Zbigniew Bogucki.
The government’s law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that country, which extends the legality of their stay and makes payments such as the 800 Plus benefit conditional on employment, was passed by the Senate last week. Earlier, at the end of August, the president vetoed the previous version of the amendment, explaining that the 800 Plus benefit should be granted only to Ukrainians who work in Poland.
According to Zbigniew Bogucki, the president with his recent vetoes “forced Prime Minister Tusk’s government to work.” The result was a new law concerning Ukrainian citizens.
The president forced this government to limit benefits for Ukrainian citizens who do not work in Poland, who sometimes are not even staying here! The solutions included mark the end of tourism from Ukraine at the expense of the Polish taxpayer. Specific benefits that will no longer be available to Ukrainian citizens not working in Poland were listed, such as rehabilitation, drug programs, health programs, prescription drug reimbursement, and many other benefits. Cataract treatment, dental services – all of this will no longer be accessible to Ukrainian citizens who do not work in Poland, said the head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland. “If Ukrainian citizens want to stay in our country and benefit from services, they must live in Poland,” emphasized Bogucki. “The end of the 800 Plus benefit for Ukrainian citizens who do not work here in Poland, do not live here, do not pay taxes, and whose children do not go to school here,” he continued.
According to the head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, this solution would not have come about without President Nawrocki’s veto a month ago. Bogucki also made a specific declaration:
“This is the last law that President Nawrocki will sign concerning this form of assistance to Ukrainian citizens. He will not sign any other law of this kind. We must return to normal conditions.”
“Normal conditions,” meaning treating Ukrainian citizens in the same way as everyone else.