Polish left‑wing lawmakers denounced President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of an animal‑protection bill, calling it a ruthless endorsement of chain‑caging and a breach of animal rights.
Left‑wing fury
Vice‑prime minister Krzysztof Gawkowski blasted the veto as “wretched, cold‑hearted” and warned that it would permit cruelty and lobbying at the expense of animals. He said that the chain‑cage provision voided any sensitivity and that the president’s hand would leave “blood on his hands” over every wounded or dead animal.
Marshal of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty echoed the criticism, accusing the president of empowering “bad people” who will continue to treat animals poorly. Local politician Katarzyna Kotula argued that animal welfare should be removed from political disputes and that the presidential palace lacked empathy. Tomasz Trela described the veto as a “shameful, heartless, right‑wing atrocity.”
Civic Coalition’s disappointment
Members of the Civic Coalition, including Borys Budka, expressed outrage at the veto, labeling it “another insult to the public.” Krzysztof Breja and Dariusz Joński condemned the decision, saying it kept animals chained and betrayed the country’s moral values. Roman Giertych further accused the president of attempting to control the chain and lambasted the move as “politically cruel.”
Commentators weigh in
President Nawrocki explained his veto, claiming the bill was “out of touch with reality” and would create “tiny cages smaller than a city apartment,” calling those calculations an absurdity. Patryk Michalski noted that the law’s minimum floor area for a one‑room apartment is 25 square meters and criticized the proposed cage sizes as dangerously small. Jacek Nizinkiewicz described the veto’s political logic as incoherent and lamented the suffering of dogs.
Sejm could reject the veto
Łukasz Michnik, spokesperson for the Left, urged the Sejm to form an opposition majority to overturn the veto, stating that it would protect animal rights. A Three‑Quarter majority—360 votes—would be required, while 280 deputies had already supported the bill, including Jarosław Kaczyński.