Friday marks the continuation of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's visit to the European Council summit. A working session will commence at 10:00 AM.

Voting in the Sejm will begin at 9:00 AM, including the second reading of the draft resolution on Poland's participation in the European Union's work during the January-June 2024 period. A vote will also be held on the resolution concerning the establishment and composition of the Extraordinary Committee for Animal Protection.

At 10:15 AM, the Sejm will hear the report on the activities of the President of the Personal Data Protection Office for 2023, along with the committee's position. Subsequently, at 11:45 AM, a representative of the Minister of Health will present the National Oncological Strategy – the report for 2023.

At 8:40 AM, a press conference will take place in the Sejm with the participation of PiS Chairman Jarosław Kaczyński, PiS parliamentary club leader Mariusz Błaszczak, and PiS spokesperson Rafał Bochenek.

At 10:30 AM, a press conference will be held in the Sejm with PiS MPs Przemysław Czarnek, Krzysztof Szczucki, Michał Wójcik, and Mariusz Krystian.

At 11:30 AM, a press conference will be held in the Sejm by the team for settling accounts with the PiS governments, attended by MPs Roman Giertych, Katarzyna Kierzek-Koperska, Iwona Karolewska, and Piotr Głowski. The conference topic will be the "response to Father Rydzyk's threats."

At 6:00 PM, an open meeting will be held between Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and the residents of Bielsko-Biała.

Today, the President of Switzerland will also continue her visit to Poland. At 9:15 AM, she will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. At 11:00 AM, she will meet with Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia, and at 11:45 AM, with Marshal of the Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska.

- Social stratification is deepening. PiS did not introduce any measures, for example, progressive taxation, and this cannot continue. It's not being introduced yet, but this presents an opportunity to talk to Minister Domański that the time is right for such a discussion, because it cannot go on like this any longer - stated Anna-Maria Żukowska on RMF FM.

- Adrian Zandberg was not in the governing coalition because he didn't join it. This situation, of course, cannot be sustained in the long run, because this parliamentary group is becoming increasingly difficult to control, and the Left Together party is to make a decision at its congress next weekend whether to stay in the group or leave it. In my opinion, it should stay in the group, because the group offers greater opportunities for political activity - stated Anna-Maria Żukowska on RMF FM.

- However, it was signed, so if we want to keep our promises, and we do, it is explicitly written in the coalition agreement, even with dates for when this [Marshal] change is to take place. If this coalition agreement is not adhered to, then I understand we will not be bound in other areas either – stated Anna-Maria Żukowska on RMF FM.

- It may happen [that we will not vote with the government if Włodzimierz Czarzasty does not become Marshal], because it is an element of the coalition agreement – she added.

- Yes, this is a success for the Polish Prime Minister [The European Commission's agreement to suspend the right to asylum in Poland]. I must say that this crisis at the border with Belarus cannot be resolved by force alone. We knew this, and I said it from the very beginning, that alongside this, there should be political actions – stated Marek Biernacki in the program "Graffiti" on Polsat News.

Biernacki: I'm Not Surprised the EU Agreed to Suspend the Right to Asylum

- Walls are always overcome, and there must be other solutions besides this forceful one, a political solution, and this is precisely what Prime Minister Tusk was looking for an instrument for. That the European Union agreed to this also doesn't surprise me, because everyone knows that this migration movement is a fictitious one, stimulated by Russia and Belarus – he continued.

- They are always treated as people. We are also refusing this right to asylum so that they know they are participating in a dirty game. We, as the government, as MPs, have one primary obligation: the safety of Poles. Then, the safety of the EU, and we must fulfill this. As we emphasize, we can temporarily open the border. I don't know if the EU would be happy about that – he went on to say.

"We Must Stop This 'Chochel Dance'." Biernacki on Fighting Illegal Migration

- I understand all these organizations that fight for human rights, that look after them; this is important. This must somehow correlate. Every human being should be treated with dignity, but we must stop this 'Chochel dance,' because please note, it has been going on for years – he added.

- This is a complex, this is the culmination of our meetings [at the Special Services Committee] concerning the audits, perhaps the end of familiarizing ourselves with the audits, because we will continue to analyze the conclusions, legislative proposals, and individual topics – Marek Biernacki said on Polsat News.

- We also had the good fortune, as a committee, that there was also a budget and work on the budget is ongoing, which is also a very important element, that we had insight into the NIK report regarding Poland's preparation for "W-Hour." All of this compiled together, allowing us to look at the Polish state's policy in this recent period – he noted.

- To be honest, I am very surprised by this, because I always assumed that PiS always spoke about security and Poland, and here, the report is secret, but I can say that it is a very poor assessment of Poland [regarding special services and the military] – he continued.

- This can simply be treated as a document that is preparing the introduction of multicultural policies and the migration pact in Poland. I repeat, there is nothing in it that would prevent us from at least suspending, not to mention completely rejecting it. So, in short, on the one hand, a deep belief that anything can be convinced of to people, citizens, which is characteristic of this government, and on the other hand, the conviction that even if things were going in the opposite direction to what was declared, it does not change the first principle that anything can be convinced of - stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference in the Sejm.

"We Propose a Test of True Intentions"

- We reject this and propose a test, a test of true intentions. This test is the only true opposition to Poland finding itself in a situation similar to Western European countries. Namely, in a situation of increased crime, consequently a decrease in security, burdens on the state budget, and a large number of obligations towards immigrants - he continued.

"If Tusk Signed, It Could Truly Be Said That a Change of Stance Would Be Credible"

- If Donald Tusk wanted to show that he truly wants to oppose these dangers, here is a card that is used for collecting signatures for a referendum concerning the migration pact. For or against. If Donald Tusk were to sign such a card, it could truly be said that then a change of stance, a radical change of stance, would be credible in some way - emphasized the PiS chairman.

The Sejm has passed a government bill increasing excise tax rates on cigarettes, smoking tobacco, cigars and cigarillos, heated tobacco products, and e-cigarette liquids.

The increase will be spread over 3 years, from 2025 to 2027. In line with the proposers' intentions, the new excise rates are primarily aimed at reducing the consumption of tobacco products and their substitutes, particularly by minors.

For cigarettes, the increase will be 25% in 2025, 20% in 2026, and 15% in 2027. Regarding heated tobacco products, excise rates will increase annually by: 50%, 20%, and 15%, and for e-cigarette liquids: 75%, 50%, and 25%.

236 MPs voted in favour of the amendment to the excise tax act, 188 voted against, and 2 abstained.

Joanna Mucha, Marek Sowa, and Zbigniew Dolata have retained their immunities. In Friday's votes, the Sejm did not grant consent for the aforementioned MPs to be held criminally liable.

178 MPs voted in favour of granting consent for Joanna Mucha to be held criminally liable (required majority: 231). In the case of Marek Sowa, there were 164 votes "for" (1st vote) and 161 votes "for" (2nd vote). None of the MPs voted for Zbigniew Dolata to lose his immunity.

A draft bill on registered partnership unions has appeared in the Government Legislation Centre – the government's proposal has been sent for coordination, public consultation, and opinion.

The planned date for the government to adopt the draft is the fourth quarter of this year.

- The draft bill on registered partnership unions aims to introduce a new institution of registered partnership into the Polish legal order. Registered partnership will be based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of gender, can fulfill their life needs and desires – it was written in the justification for the project.

- Ensuring the possibility of entering into a registered partnership by individuals of the same and different sex will protect these individuals from exclusion, and will also provide the opportunity to clearly define mutual rights and obligations. The draft is therefore a response to the social needs of same-sex couples who do not have access to the institution of marriage, but also of different-sex couples living in informal unions who, for various reasons, cannot or do not want to enter into marriage – the proponents emphasized.

The main objectives of the draft bill on registered partnership unions are:

- introduction of a new institution into Polish law, which will provide protection for same-sex couples and allow different-sex couples to formalize their relationship,

- a response to social needs, as well as challenges related to a changing society, family models, demography, and lifestyle,

- implementation of the ECHR judgment against Poland from December 2023 (similar unions were introduced by Italy, for example – in 2016) and from September 2024,

- recognition of the inherent dignity and equality of all citizens before the law, guaranteed in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland,

- fulfillment of international obligations and implementation of recommendations concerning non-discrimination and respect for the dignity and right to family and private life of every person.

Dlaczego znów kłamiecie? Wszystko jest do zweryfikowania na stronach UE.

Otóż nie po raz pierwszy.

Przełomem były konkluzje z 21-22 października 2021 i 16 grudnia 2021, gdzie odrzucono po raz pierwszy stanowisko pro-uchodźczych NGOs, w tym tych, które przeszkadzały polskim…

— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) October 18, 2024

- There is the so-called Limited Custody, there is no child adoption, meaning those issues that were contentious from the beginning within the October 15 coalition and to which the PSL did not agree. Here, we have indeed taken a step back, a compromise step, and decided on provisions only concerning limited custody - stated Katarzyna Kotula at a press briefing in the Sejm.

- Yes, of course, I am ready [to talk with the president]. Because when we prepared this project, I already said that it was the president's concept, the bill on the status of a close person - stated Katarzyna Kotula at a press briefing in the Sejm.

- I won't hide that signals have been coming from the Presidential Palace, from Andrzej Duda's circle, that once the project is ready, the president will be ready for talks, so of course I am ready to meet with the president, if this proposal is still current - she continued.

- We believe that partnership unions in Poland must finally be legalized with a good law. This is a law that introduces the so-called "small registry" (mała pieczę), it does not provide for adoption. It offers the possibility of a dignified union, which is very much needed in Poland today. We are for it - stated Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń" (Guest of Events).

- We are at the absolute finish line. We are still at it, and I admit, for too long. Polska 2050 has taken this topic out of the range of coalition agreement topics as an absolute priority, important not for us, but for entrepreneurs - stated Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz in "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.

- We want to approach this ambitiously. Perhaps due to the time we are in, it will need to be done in two steps. Something in 2025, something in 2026, I will reveal a hint of these discussions - stated Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz on Polsat News's 'Gość Wydarzeń'.

- If they want to amend the draft or submit their own [PSL regarding the Civil Partnerships Act], there is a legislative procedure in the Sejm, please go ahead. However, let's not stall this project – stated Andrzej Halicki on the program “Fakty po faktach” on TVN24.

- There is also a month of public consultations. It has the character of a government submission, and that is why I congratulate the Minister for bringing it to this first stage after negotiations. Whatever the outcome, I hope it will be positive, and that we will cease to be, currently probably the only country in the EU, that does not have such a law – the PO MEP continued.

- We currently have a month of consultations, and I hope that legislative proceedings will begin at the end of the year. Of course, there will probably be amendments and comments, but I hope that next year, perhaps June, which the Minister mentioned, but not 2024, but 2025, will be the culmination of this work – he continued.