Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a bill providing humanitarian support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland into law on Friday, having forced Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government to make key changes.
Among the changes are provisions that limit Polish state benefits – including medical rehabilitation, health programs, prescription drug coverage, and medical and dental services – for Ukrainian refugees, particularly those who are not working in the country.
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As per Ukrinform, Chief of the Presidential Chancellery Zbigniew Bogucki told reporters that Nawrocki’s changes would end “tourism from Ukraine at the expense of Polish taxpayers.”
“Through his previous vetoes, the President forced the government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, to work and propose solutions that are not perfect but certainly better,” Bogucki said.
The chancellery chief also said that this law will be the last to grant aid to Polish refugees in Poland. “There is currently no basis or reason for continuing such measures,” he said – in spite of Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
More than one million Ukrainian refugees have entered Poland since Feb. 24, 2022, making a significant contribution to the Polish economy. A UN-backed report published in June found that the work of Ukrainian refugees now accounts for 2.7 percent of Poland’s GDP.
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