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Grupa Pracuj SADisagreement over veto on aid to Ukrainians may cause repercussions, warns Grupa Pracuj's CEO
The lack of agreement between Poland's government and President on vetoed law on extending aid to Ukrainian citizens could lead to negative repercussions for companies, the CEO of listed HR group Grupa Pracuj Przemyslaw Gacek told a press conference. The dispute centers on extending relief and eligibility for the 800+ benefit only to working Ukrainians.
CEO Gacek expressed hope that the government and Poland's President Karol Nawrocki will reach a compromise.
"If this does not happen, it will certainly have various repercussions and will not have a positive impact on our companies, because many people from Ukraine work in Poland," he assessed.
The main point of contention is the 800+ social benefit, which President Karol Nawrocki insists should be granted only to Ukrainian citizens who are actively employed in Poland.
The CEO stated his expectation that the bill will return to parliament for reconsideration.
Gacek also noted that it would be difficult to imagine hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians having to restart administrative processes related to work permits and residency rights, complicating their stay and work in Poland.
The amendment vetoed by the President included provisions to extend the legal stay for Ukrainian citizens in Poland from September 30, 2025, to March 4, 2026. Currently, Ukrainians who arrived after February 24, 2022, are allowed to stay legally until the end of September 2025.
President Nawrocki has introduced his own legislative proposal, which limits access to social benefits and healthcare only to Ukrainians who are working and paying contributions in Poland.
Additionally, his project aims to change citizenship granting rules — increasing the residency requirement from three to ten years — and toughening penalties for illegal border crossings, including up to five years imprisonment.
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