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Polish MPs approve bill on Poland's 2025 EU presidency

28.07.2023 22:30
Poland’s Sejm (lower house of parliament) has approved draft legislation setting out the rules of cooperation for the country’s authorities in the run-up to Poland’s presidency of the EU in the first half of 2025.
The Polish Sejm (lower house of parliament) in session on Friday, July 28, 2023.
The Polish Sejm (lower house of parliament) in session on Friday, July 28, 2023.Twitter/Sejm of the Republic of Poland

MPs voted through the bill in a 238-210 vote, with six abstentions, on Friday night, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

Under the proposal, introduced by President Andrzej Duda, the government will brief the president on the upcoming EU summits, including sharing official documents, and the head of state’s representative will outline the president’s position on forthcoming European Council meetings to the Council of Ministers, according to officials.

The head of state will also attend, along with the prime minister, EU summits during Poland’s presidency of the European bloc, in the first half of 2025, the IAR news agency reported.

Poland’s president will have a say in the selection of Polish candidates for important EU positions, including EU Commissioners and judges at the Court of Justice of the EU, according to officials.

President Duda had urged lawmakers to approve the bill “without delay” and expressed hope the plan would show that “on issues of the highest importance to Poland, the entire political class is able to work harmoniously together.”

The draft legislation now goes to the Senate (upper house) for consideration, the PAP news agency reported. 

(pm)

Source: IAR, PAP