The government is making changes to reduce a number of benefits for Ukrainians.
On April 30, the Polish government adopted a bill on assistance to refugees from Ukraine due to for the armed conflict in the country. It provides for further reduction of a number of benefits for Ukrainians and tying social payments to the education of Ukrainian children in Polish schools.
This is reported by RMF FM.
“The government has adopted a draft amendment to the law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine. It provides, among other things: to link the “800 plus” payments and benefits under the “Good Start” program with compulsory education and to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, until September 30, 2025,” the message says.
As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Poland Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamisz noted during a press conference in Warsaw, Poland fully supports Ukraine. At the same time, Warsaw expects partnership on economic issues from Kyiv.
“Poland does not make this dependent on providing assistance for women and children,” and wants to continue to provide assistance to those in need. But we want to introduce clear and understandable rules: we will provide social assistance to families whose children will have access to education,” he said.
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland, Marcin Kierwiński, during a government meeting, presented changes to the current law on assistance to Ukrainians, especially in relation to education. In particular, families whose children attend Polish schools, which can be officially confirmed, can count on social assistance of 800 zlotys (about $200) per child, as well as other support.
“We will tighten the system and make it more transparent. We will support the citizens of Ukraine who had to flee the war to Poland, but we expect clear and understandable rules that are in the new law that we adopted today,” emphasized the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.
According to the proposals of the Polish government, social assistance under the “800 plus” (monthly child benefit in the amount of 800 zlotys) and “Good Start” (one-time assistance in the amount of 300 zlotys) will be provided to Ukrainian families in that case , if a school-age child goes to a Polish school.
The government explains this innovation by the fact that Poland is the only country where there is a hybrid education system for Ukrainian children (about 200 thousand Ukrainian children study in Polish schools, and the rest are in the Ukrainian distance education system).
In Poland the day before they complained that they could not check exactly how these children were studying, so the introduction of such a requirement was seen as equalizing the chances of all children to receive a basic education. The government believes that thanks to this provision, 80 thousand children from Ukraine will be added to Polish schools from the new school year.
Other important changes in the bill on assistance to Ukrainians in Poland
Also, the Polish government announced the possibility of changing the status of stay of Ukrainians in Poland: according to the current temporary protection for a temporary stay of up to three years.
To do this, you will need to update your data in the PESEL UKR database (Polish identification system, UKR – intended for Ukrainians), submit a corresponding request electronically to the voivode at your place of residence, and also meet the PESEL UKR requirement for state as of March 4, 2024.
The law also introduces a new rule for confirming the identity of a Ukrainian citizen applying for a PESEL number in Poland. In particular, the only way to confirm identity will be the presentation of a valid travel document of a citizen of Ukraine.
The bill also provides for the abolition of a one-time social benefit in Poland for a Ukrainian war refugee in the amount of 300 zlotys ($75), as well as the abolition of monetary compensation for owners of private housing who provided accommodation and food to war refugees from Ukraine.
The government bill must be approved by both houses of the Polish parliament and signed by the president. It must take effect before July 1, 2024.
Meanwhile, Poland reported what Ukrainians could expect after the suspension of consular services.
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