Polish lawmaker Karol Nawrocki vetoed the September 12, 2025 bill amending minority and regional‑language legislation, prompting a response from the President.
Veto Details
Karol Nawrocki refused to sign the September 12, 2025 act that would amend the 2005 law on national and ethnic minorities and regional languages, along with several other related statutes.
President’s Statement on the Bill
The President noted that the proposed amendment would formally recognize the Wilamowice ethnolect as a regional language within the framework of the Minority and Regional Language Law. He also cited the bill’s justification that this language is an indigenous local tongue spoken in the town of Wilamowice, Silesian Voivodeship.
Expert Opinion on Wilamowice Ethnolect
Nawrocki expressed doubts that the regulation is grounded in substantive evidence rather than symbolic or political motives, calling for objective verification based on scientific data. He highlighted that linguists are divided: some assert that the traditional speech of Wilamowice’s oldest residents constitutes a distinct language, while others classify it within the Western Germanic language group.
Legislative Review Request
Following the veto, Nawrocki submitted a request for the Sejm to reconsider the bill.
