Donald Tusk, Poland’s prime minister, criticized President Andrzej Duda’s veto of the bill to ease access to the ‘morning after’ pill as well as his decision to block the amendment of the law on comprehensive oncology care.
The President’s Office announced on Friday evening that Duda had referred to the Constitutional Tribunal (TK), the country’s top court, the amendment to the law on the National Oncology Network, postponing the deadline for its implementation until April 1, 2025.
The amendment on the National Oncology Network meant to ensure that every patient, regardless of where they live, has equal access to coordinated and comprehensive oncology care came into force on March 31 after initially being signed by President Duda, on March 18.
Earlier, on March 29, Duda vetoed a bill that would make the “morning after” abortion pill available without prescription to anyone over the age of 15.
He sent the bill back to the lower house of parliament, the Sejm, on the grounds that it allegedly breached a constitutional clause on the protection of children’s health.
Tusk criticized Duda’s moves on Saturday via a post on the X platform, clearly condemning the president’s stance.
“Blocking the bill on the ‘morning after’ pill perhaps results from a lack of reason. The attempt at blocking a network of oncological hospitals - from a lack of heart,” he wrote.
Later in the day, the matter was also addressed on X by a presidential aide, Stanislaw Zaryn.
He wrote in response to Tusk’s post: “The bill on the ‘morning after’ pill is an example of a free-for-all in regards to the access (to the pill) of girls as young as 15 years old. The Polish President’s veto resulted from responsibility for the life and health of young girls.”
He added: “Whereas ‘the attempt at blocking a network of oncological hospitals’ is a lie and a confabulation of a cynical politician, who currently takes the post of prime minister. The president’s actions block nothing, which, of course, Tusk is aware of. However, he prefers to hate on the president and manipulate society. Shame!”
The amendment on the National Oncology Network meant to ensure that every patient, regardless of where they live, has equal access to coordinated and comprehensive oncology care came into force on March 31 after initially being signed by President Duda, on March 18.
Earlier, on March 29, Duda vetoed a bill that would make the “morning after” abortion pill available without prescription to anyone over the age of 15.
He sent the bill back to the lower house of parliament, the Sejm, on the grounds that it allegedly breached a constitutional clause on the protection of children’s health.
Tusk criticized Duda’s moves on Saturday via a post on the X platform, clearly condemning the president’s stance.
“Blocking the bill on the ‘morning after’ pill perhaps results from a lack of reason. The attempt at blocking a network of oncological hospitals - from a lack of heart,” he wrote.
Later in the day, the matter was also addressed on X by a presidential aide, Stanislaw Zaryn.
He wrote in response to Tusk’s post: “The bill on the ‘morning after’ pill is an example of a free-for-all in regards to the access (to the pill) of girls as young as 15 years old. The Polish President’s veto resulted from responsibility for the life and health of young girls.”
He added: “Whereas ‘the attempt at blocking a network of oncological hospitals’ is a lie and a confabulation of a cynical politician, who currently takes the post of prime minister. The president’s actions block nothing, which, of course, Tusk is aware of. However, he prefers to hate on the president and manipulate society. Shame!”
Follow-up control
Tusk’s post referred to Friday’s news that President Duda referred the National Oncological Network bill to the Constitutional Tribunal, under the so-called follow-up control procedure, as well as his earlier veto of the law restoring access to the so-called morning-after pill without a prescription.
On March 29, the President vetoed an amendment to the Pharmaceutical Law that would have allowed access without a prescription to the morning-after pill for individuals over 15 years old. He justified the decision by ‘respecting constitutional rights and the standard of children’s health protection. At the same time, the President declared openness to solutions envisaged in the law regarding adult women.
On Friday, the President’s Office announced that Andrzej Duda, under the so-called follow-up control procedure, referred the amendment to the National Oncological Network bill to the Constitutional Tribunal.
The National Oncological Network Act is another law that the President is sending to the Constitutional Tribunal under the follow-up control procedure, due to the absence of Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik in the Sejm, whom the President still considers as MPs.
President’s reasons
In early February he announced that he would send to the Constitutional Tribunal all the adopted bills if Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wąsik, two politicians from the main opposition party Law and Justice (PiS), were not allowed to participate in the Sejm’s work.
The two were convicted of abuse of power, only to be pardoned by Duda. The president has also contested the opinion held by the speaker of parliament that the two are no longer MPs.
Tusk’s post referred to Friday’s news that President Duda referred the National Oncological Network bill to the Constitutional Tribunal, under the so-called follow-up control procedure, as well as his earlier veto of the law restoring access to the so-called morning-after pill without a prescription.
On March 29, the President vetoed an amendment to the Pharmaceutical Law that would have allowed access without a prescription to the morning-after pill for individuals over 15 years old. He justified the decision by ‘respecting constitutional rights and the standard of children’s health protection. At the same time, the President declared openness to solutions envisaged in the law regarding adult women.
On Friday, the President’s Office announced that Andrzej Duda, under the so-called follow-up control procedure, referred the amendment to the National Oncological Network bill to the Constitutional Tribunal.
The National Oncological Network Act is another law that the President is sending to the Constitutional Tribunal under the follow-up control procedure, due to the absence of Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik in the Sejm, whom the President still considers as MPs.
President’s reasons
In early February he announced that he would send to the Constitutional Tribunal all the adopted bills if Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wąsik, two politicians from the main opposition party Law and Justice (PiS), were not allowed to participate in the Sejm’s work.
The two were convicted of abuse of power, only to be pardoned by Duda. The president has also contested the opinion held by the speaker of parliament that the two are no longer MPs.
Source: TVP World, PAP
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