Lower house rejects Senate's amendments to coronavirus rescue package

Late-night voting over coronavirus aid bill in the Polish lower house

Źródło: TVN24

The Sejm on Tuesday passed a coronavirus rescue package, known as the "anti-crisis shield", but rejected the majority of amendments proposed by the opposition-controlled Senate. The rejected changes included additional 20 billion zloty in healthcare spending, mandatory weekly coronavirus tests for all healthcare workers and broadened exemptions for firms to pay social security payments.

Poland's parliament on Tuesday approved a coronavirus rescue package to support the economy but rejected many changes proposed by the opposition such as mandatory weekly coronavirus tests for medical workers.

The move comes as Poland's economy faces a downturn amid the spread of the infection, with Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki saying unemployment is likely to rise and GDP growth could be lower than expected.

The lower house of parliament, the Sejm, controlled by the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, first approved on Saturday a package offering up to 75 billion zloty ($18.07 billion) of additional budget spending on jobs and infrastructure.

Over the weekend, Poland's ruling nationalists also fast-tracked changes to the electoral code as part of the rescue package to allow seniors and those under quarantine to vote by post in a bid to press ahead with presidential elections in May.

The move was criticised by opposition candidates who want the contest postponed.

The opposition-controlled upper house of parliament, the Senate, on Tuesday morning removed the electoral rules changes and beefed up the economic part of the package.

It called for an additional 20 billion zloty in healthcare spending, mandatory weekly coronavirus tests for all healthcare workers and broadened exemptions for firms to pay social security payments. The Sejm on Tuesday afternoon rejected the majority of the Senate's proposed changes.

Earlier the government said the whole package, which will also include pro-liquidity measures proposed by the central bank, will amount to 212 billion zloty.

As of Tuesday, 2,215 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the country of 38 million, while 32 people had died, according to the health ministry.