Minister Katarzyna Kotula said that we finally have a government act. This is not a government act, because it is currently on the RCL website – argued Piotr Zgorzelski, deputy speaker of the Sejm, from the Polish People's Party. In “Kawa na Ława” he stated that intra-coalition negotiations on this matter were “unfinished”.
It appeared on the website of the Government Legislation Center on Friday draft act on registered partnerships by the Ministry of Equality Katarzyna Kotula (Left) and the second document – a draft act introducing the Act on Registered Partnerships.
The project had been announced for many months, but there was no agreement within the ruling coalition on its detailed provisions. It was and still is unconvinced Polish People's Partywhich advocates, among others, against the provisions on the adoption of children, which is not included in the project. PSL is preparing a draft law on the status of the next of kin, which is intended to be a response to the law on civil partnerships.
Zgorzelski: this is not a government act
On Sunday in “Kawa na Ława” on TVN24, the Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Piotr Zgorzelski (PSL) said that the draft law on civil partnerships “is not a government act”
– Minister Kotula said that we finally have a government act, (but) it is not a government act, because it is currently on the RCL website. Just like the 0 percent loan law on RCL's website, he said. He noted that “before this act, there were still inter-ministerial and social consultations.”
He also noted that “on issues that we have always articulated as important from the point of view of partnerships, i.e. joint settlement of accounts, inheritance, medical information, we are ready to talk.”
He emphasized that the act “is not agreed, because if it were agreed, it would be called a government act.” – This is an act that was submitted by Minister Kotula and she announced, untruthfully, that it was a government act – he continued.
– So the intra-coalition negotiations on this bill are incomplete? And it appeared as a project without coalition arrangements? – asked the host of the program, Konrad Piasecki. Zgorzelski answered these questions in the affirmative, declaring that the negotiations were “unfinished.”
READ ALSO: Kotula: the project that PSL received from us was information about where we could go back
Government project or not? Opinions differ
There is no agreement within the coalition on whether the project is government-owned or not. The opinion that it is not governmental is expressed by the People's Party. Zgorzelski's opposition also included MP Marek Sawicki from PSL who said that the projects on civil partnerships published on RCL are not government ones.
However, for example, Left MEP Krzysztof Śmiszek said on Friday in “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24 that such a claim “is untrue.” – If the project is on the website of the Government Legislation Center, it means that the government signs it – argued Śmiszek.
MP Marcin Kulasek (Left Wing) said on Sunday on Polsat News that “the facts are that this is a government project.” – He is a government official because he left the government, he is in the government's legislative center. However, it will be 100 percent (governmental – ed.) after consultations, once the government approves it. So Mrs. Kotula is right and Marshal Sawicki is right, he said. According to Kulasek, the matter will end with PSL supporting this project.
According to Deputy Minister of Family Aleksandra Gajewska (KO), this project can be called a government project. – When I was submitting the “grandmother's” project, this project came from the Ministry of Family, and then it was discussed and… Council of Ministers she accepted him, she said. According to Gajewska, the project on partnerships has a chance of gaining the support of the entire government because controversial issues have been removed from the project.
The MP had a different opinion Marcin Przydacz (PIS), who stated that the project was not governmental and said that there was no support for it in PSL.
What about the project on registered partnerships?
The draft law on civil partnerships assumes that a civil partnership is entered into by two adult persons, regardless of gender. They must submit a declaration of concluding this relationship to the head of the registry office. The project includes, among others: regulations regarding joint property.
The regulation does not provide for the possibility of either external adoption or the possibility of adopting the partner's children. A person in a civil partnership will be entitled to participate in the day-to-day care of a child residing with him/her who is under the parental authority of the other person in a civil partnership and its upbringing, including making decisions in matters of everyday life, unless any of the persons in the partnership objects. parents exercising parental authority over this child.
The second bill – the bill introducing the Act on Registered Partnerships – envisages introducing changes to over 200 currently applicable acts. This includes: about the need to introduce the concept of partnerships into the legal acts in force in Poland and to grant specific rights to persons in such relationships.
Main photo source: TVN24