President Karol Nawrocki signed legislation lowering fuel prices during his flight to a conference in the United States on March 27th.
Fuel Price Legislation Approved
The Sejm and Senate approved the bills from the “Lower Fuel Prices” (CPN) package on Friday, March 27th. The legislation then went to the President for signature.
Karol Nawrocki was en route to the US to speak at the CPAC conference, visit the F-35 fighter jet factory, and meet with the American Polish community.
Presidential Plane Equipped for Signing
According to “Fakt” newspaper, Nawrocki’s plane was prepared for the bill-signing procedure. His staff ensured a printer, scanner, and internet access were available onboard.
The President also had the option of using an electronic signature, with his team routinely equipped to facilitate this.
Legal Review and Electronic Signature
After the bills reached the Presidential Chancellery, legal experts reviewed them. This process was efficient due to ongoing monitoring of the legislative process.
By 2:00 PM, advisors’ opinions were received. The documents were then sent to the President electronically, printed, signed by hand, scanned, and returned. An electronic signature was also submitted.
Signing Documented and Announced
Photographer Mikołaj Bujak captured the moment of the signing. Presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz then announced the news on X (formerly Twitter).
Leśkiewicz wrote: “The President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, signed the bills lowering fuel prices during his flight to Dallas. Sky is not the limit!” The bills were published in the Journal of Laws the following day.
Government Rationale for Price Cuts
The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the war in the Middle East caused a roughly 45% increase in oil prices, over 40% for diesel, and around 25% for gasoline.
In response, the government developed two bills within the CPN package. These measures include reducing VAT on fuels from 23% to 8% and lowering excise duties to minimum permissible levels (29 groszy for gasoline and 28 groszy for diesel), expected to lower fuel prices by approximately 1.20 złoty per liter.