Warsaw’s Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski remains committed to introducing a nighttime alcohol ban in the city, despite the Warsaw Council’s rejection of a city-wide ban.
Background of the Proposed Ban
The Warsaw Council on Thursday rejected a proposal by the Left and the “Miasto Jest Nasze” (The City is Ours) association to introduce a city-wide ban on alcohol sales between 10 PM and 6 AM.
Pilot Program Instead
Earlier, a similar project prepared by the Warsaw City Hall, which proposed a ban from 11 PM to 6 AM, was withdrawn from the agenda. The Council, at the request of the Capital City Hall, adopted a stance on introducing a pilot program in two districts: Śródmieście and Praga Północ.
The proposal must still be approved by the councils of these two districts, but according to sources, this is merely a formality.
Trzaskowski’s Stance
Mayor Trzaskowski, in a social media post on Friday, stated that he does not back down from his stance, saying that such restrictions make sense and that he managed to convince councilors to take a step-by-step approach.
Reactions and Implications
The Thursday session of the Warsaw Council led to tensions within the ruling coalition, with politicians from Lewica and Polska 2050 criticizing the attitude of Civic Coalition councilors.
In protest against the withdrawal of the City Hall’s project on the ban, Jacek Wiśnicki, Deputy Mayor of Warsaw from Polska 2050, resigned from his position.
