The draft law on helping Ukrainian refugees was delivered after first reading. What about health protection?

The most emotions and negative assessments of virtually all MPs, except PiS, were caused by the "impunity plus" provision, i.e. a provision in the draft exempting officials from criminal liability, including during a natural disaster, state of emergency, but also in an epidemic threat and a pandemic state. It is about impunity for breaking public finance discipline and bad money management, if - as provided in the draft - the perpetrator acted to, inter alia, protect the life or health of many people or property of great value.

During the first reading, the Left announced, inter alia, amendments concerning the coverage of state aid on an identical basis to refugees who are not citizens of Ukraine. In turn, MP Bożena Żelazowska from the Polish Coalition spoke about the need to relocate war refugees from large cities also to villages that have the opportunity to receive them. - Rural schools are ready to accept children, and in the Polish countryside there is also work for Ukrainians - she emphasized.

Robert Winnicki from the Confederation criticized the fact that the government, without a wider debate, wants to introduce a law which - in his opinion - gives equal rights to Ukrainians and Poles. This is the weakest objection from the Confederation - some of its members assessed that Poles would become second-class citizens. He accused the government of including "impunity plus" in the bill.

The submission of several dozen amendments was announced around Poland 2050, and its representative Tomasz Zimoch said that the threat was the financing of the entire operation completely beyond the control of the parliament (a special fund is to be dealt with).

The act is to regulate the legality of the stay of Ukrainians who have crossed the border since February 24, the day of Russia's attack on Ukraine. Ukrainian refugees who came to Poland will also be able to obtain a PESEL number after confirming their identity, and their stay in our country will be considered legal for 18 months (with the possibility of extension). Ukrainians whose stay in Poland will be legalized will be able to gain access to healthcare. Access to the public health care system will apply on the same terms as Poles, and the Ukrainian National Health Fund will pay for medical services (with refinancing from the state budget). According to the project, Ukrainian pupils and students will be able to continue their education in Polish schools and universities. The changes make it possible to establish additional branches of schools that will provide education for Ukrainian citizens. Ukrainian academic teachers will also be able to be employed at Polish universities. The Act broadly opens the labor market for refugees (including doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives, on terms similar to those introduced during the pandemic).