Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed an amendment to the so-called special law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens on Monday, Aug. 25.
This legislation, in force since 2022, had been extended every six months. The latest version aimed to maintain temporary protection for refugees until March 4, 2026.
Nawrocki’s decision has drawn strong reactions from both politicians and the public.
His main argument is that social benefits – such as the 800+ program (800 PLN [$220] per month per child under 18) and free healthcare – should be available only to Ukrainians who are legally employed in Poland.
“If we look at healthcare and notice a certain preference toward Ukrainians compared to Poles, and the fact that Ukrainians receive healthcare regardless of whether they are employed and pay contributions or not, we’re in a situation where Polish citizens are treated worse in their own country than our Ukrainian guests,” Nawrocki said during a press conference.
The proposal to link access to services with employment is not especially controversial in the case of healthcare – it would align the rules with those applied to all other residents in Poland. However, the 800+ benefit is more contentious. Currently, it is granted to all children who meet the formal criteria.
Nearly 80% of Ukrainians living in Poland work legally – the highest rate among EU countries. Ukrainians employed in Poland contribute more to the country’s public finances than they receive in benefits.
As such, limiting access to 800+ for those temporarily unemployed would mostly affect vulnerable families – hitting the poorest the hardest.
Many commentators view Nawrocki’s decision as populist and in line with the political climate of the ongoing election campaign.
However, it is worth noting that similar proposals were made by other candidates, including Nawrocki’s key opponent, pro-EU Rafał Trzaskowski.
‘Stop Banderism,’ Max Korzh and the Starlink
Another factor behind the tougher stance toward Ukraine was an incident on Aug. 9 in Warsaw. During a concert by Belarusian artist Max Korzh, one attendee displayed a red-and-black Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) flag – a symbol that in Poland is strongly associated with the Volhynia Massacre, where Poles were killed by Ukrainian nationalists.
In response, Nawrocki announced plans to introduce laws penalizing the promotion of historical Ukrainian nationalism.
“To eliminate Russian propaganda and base Polish-Ukrainian relations on mutual respect, I believe we should include a clear statement in the law: ‘Stop Banderism,’” said Nawrocki.
Although the use of UPA symbols in public spaces is extremely rare, Nawrocki’s proposal would equate Banderism with totalitarian ideologies such as communism and Nazism. This could strain Polish-Ukrainian relations – both politically and socially.
The man who brought the flag to the concert later explained on social media that he did not realize it would be interpreted so negatively in Poland. Criminalizing such acts may prompt reciprocal legislative retaliation from Ukraine, weakening the already fragile historical dialogue – a process that has recently led to joint exhumations of massacre victims in both countries.
Starlink and the risk of legal vacuum
Nawrocki also announced plans to revise citizenship laws – not only for Ukrainians, but for all foreigners. The proposed reforms would extend the naturalization process and increase penalties for illegal border crossings.
The veto also raised concerns within the government. Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski warned that the lack of proper legal frameworks could halt Poland’s financial support for Ukraine’s access to Starlink satellite internet – a strategically vital service, particularly for the Ukrainian military.
According to The Left, the political alliance to which Gawkowski belongs, the vetoed bill not only extended temporary residence rights for refugees but also regulated several mechanisms of support introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Without new legal solutions, some Ukrainians in Poland could find themselves in an irregular status after Sept. 30.
As a result of the veto, Poland now faces a legal void. There are no clear regulations governing the presence and rights of Ukrainian citizens in the country.
This uncertainty could heighten refugees’ insecurity and make Poland a less appealing place to live and work.