Jachira suspended from the KO club. It was about a project to help Ukrainian citizens

MP Klaudia Jachira announced on Tuesday that she had been suspended as a member of the KO parliamentary club. According to Jachira, the decision is related to the amendments she submitted to the draft law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens, which the Sejm processed in September.

On September 12, the Sejm adopted an amendment to certain laws in order to verify the right to family benefits for foreigners and on the conditions of assistance for Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of this country. It assumes, among others: extending the legality of stay of Ukrainian citizens who fled the war until March 4, 2026, and tightening the system of receiving benefits by foreigners, including linking “800 plus” payments to professional activity.

Previously, the draft of this bill was dealt with by the Parliamentary Administration and Internal Affairs Committee, which rejected Jachira's amendments; The MP wanted to link the “800 plus” benefit with the professional activity of not only foreigners living in Poland, but also Polish citizens. The KO MP reported the rejected amendments as minority motions.

“Three weeks ago, on the occasion of the act on assistance to Ukrainian women and men, I submitted amendments ensuring that the '800 plus' benefit would only be available to Polish families in which at least one parent is professionally active. The amendments did not find a majority in the Sejm, and I was suspended by the KO club for this,” MP Jachira announced on social media on Tuesday.

At the same time, she expressed joy that her amendments had started a discussion about changes in the “800 plus” benefit, which “even reached the government.” “As you can see, every drop hollows out the rock, and these amendments were just the drop that could make us end the senseless show-off handing out. Aid from public money should go to those most in need or we should invest it in systemic solutions,” Jachira added.

KO club spokeswoman Dorota Łoboda told PAP that the changes proposed by Jachira are contrary to the position of the Civic Coalition. – We do not plan any changes in the 800 plus benefit for Polish citizens – she emphasized. As she said, MP Jachira was asked to withdraw the amendment, which, however, did not happen, and then she appeared on the parliamentary rostrum supporting her motion, which – as Łoboda noted – could be interpreted as the club's position.

A few days ago, the forsal.pl website, citing government sources, reported that the Council of Ministers was considering linking the 800 plus benefit with parents' employment. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy denied media reports about alleged plans to change the program. “The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy strongly emphasizes that it is not carrying out any work aimed at modifying the rules for granting childcare benefits,” the ministry emphasized in its Tuesday statement.

At the end of September, President Karol Nawrocki signed the Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens, which tightens the system of receiving family benefits by foreigners. The right to these benefits has been linked to the parent's professional activity and the children's education at Polish schools, with exceptions for, e.g., people with disabilities. Additionally, the right to benefits will be linked to foreigners obtaining at least 50 percent. minimum wage, which means that in 2025 it will be PLN 2,333 gross.

According to the regulation, ZUS will check every month whether foreigners were professionally active. If this was not the case in a given month, the benefit will be withheld and the transfer will not be sent. ZUS will also verify in the register of the Chief Commander of the Border Guard whether a given foreigner has not left Poland.

To enable better identification of foreigners applying for benefits and their children, an obligation to have a PESEL number will be introduced. When issuing a PESEL, the children's stay in Poland will also be verified. The new regulations also provide for the integration of databases of various institutions, which will allow for more effective monitoring of foreigners' rights and eliminate attempts to extort benefits.

The act extends the period of temporary protection in Poland until March 4, 2026 (PAP)

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