Duda imposed the first veto on the new government’s bill

Polish President Andrzej Duda has vetoed a budget bill that provides for the allocation of three billion zlotys (about 700 million euros) for the country’s state media next year. Duda announced his decision on X (Twitter) on Saturday, December 23.

“I have decided to veto the draft budget for 2024, which provides 3 billion zlotys for the state media. It cannot be agreed, because of the blatant violation of the Constitution and the principles of a democratic state of law. The state media must first be fair. and legally restored,” – said Duda.

According to him, in this situation it is impossible to agree that the public media, due to the budget law, should be financed by the parliamentary majority.

He also said that immediately after the Christmas holidays he would submit his own bill to parliament, which would contain all other budget expenditures, including the teacher salary increase planned in the budget. He called on the leaders of both houses of parliament to hold emergency sessions so that the proposal could be discussed and adopted before the end of the year.

The Sejm, the lower house of parliament, can override a presidential veto, but this would require a three-fifths vote. Meanwhile, Tusk’s government coalition has 248 out of 460 votes in the Sejm.

Let’s recall that on December 20, the new Polish government, headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, decided to return to the control of the authorities the state television and radio companies from the hands of supporters of Law and Justice ( PiS) party, which lost the October 15 parliamentary election.

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