This is simply a government draft of the Act on individual Assistance, which was presented on Thursday, May 8, in the Sejm by Łukasz Krason, State Secretary at the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, and a typical of the government for people with disabilities.
Sam struggles with muscle dysmorphia and has been in a wheelchair since he was seven. In the photograph that the net went on, you can see that erstwhile he spoke in the Sejm there were only a fistful of people in the room.
Photography has caused a storm, and it is hard to be amazed to see it only due to the fact that it may have caused a terrible image of political disregard in people.
"The view of an empty parliament area during Luke Krasonia's speech about individual assistance will stay with me for the remainder of my life. I felt humiliated. Treated like trash, a elder citizen. These empty seats are a symbol of how Poland treats people with disabilities. Shame!" – so commented Wojtek Sawicki, who besides struggles with muscle dysmorphia.
There have been thunders on the MPs. But reality turns out to be different. And the ignorance of the Sejm lies. Here's where this image came from and what's truly behind it.
Iwona Hartwich: – It was not a presentation of any resolution. Hands are falling
– It's a storm in a glass of water. I don't know. I no longer know how to answer people and explain that this was not the first reading of the bill. due to the fact that if I did, I'd be in the parliament room. Hands are falling down – she responds in a conversation with KO MP Iwona Hartwich, the most celebrated face of the Polish Sejm in the fight for the rights of people with disabilities.
While Łukasz Krason performed in the Sejm, she was at that time at a gathering of the Parliamentary Group to support the improvement of spas and spa municipalities, besides in the interests of children with disabilities. She didn't really know about the Krason incident. And, as she tells us, she had a right not to know. Like another Members and Members who were on another committees at the time.
– This was not a speech or a speech on the bill. It was not a presentation of any bill. Łukasz Krason simply answered on current matters. This was the answer to 1 question the current Members of the 3rd Way. Nobody even informed me about it due to the fact that clubs do not have the habit of informing each another about their current questions," says Iwona Hartwich.
"I didn't notice," "stone from my heart, that these are current questions"
The Members and Members of the various political options we are asking about absence did not know either. any of the answers are disarming.
What time was the minister speaking? I guess I didn't see it coming. Or, no, wait! I was on another committee at the time! – reacts with taking over 1 of the right-wing Members.
When we say that the speech took place as part of current questions, we feel relieved. - Ah, if so, it could have been an oversight. I didn't notice. I thought that this case would be a separate item at the session of the Sejm, not in current matters," he says.
Another of the MPs besides took over: – It is impossible for me to escape Krason in the schedule! It killed my heart. I was upset that Krason was performing and I didn't know that? I'm always looking out for the disabled. The stone from my heart fell that these were questions on current matters.
Questions on current issues. This password explains why we saw an empty parliament area erstwhile a subject of specified importance was discussed and what caused specified outrage. Here you request to look for answers to why individual missed/didn't notice/didn't realize/had no thought that this subject would be discussed in the Sejm by the minister.
Especially since the day before, Łukasz Krason was present at the gathering of the Permanent Subcommittee on People with Disability and Social Inclusion and everyone curious in the subject of disability heard everything from him.
- It's a completely unfounded accusation. We cannot be dismissed from reverence and faith, due to the fact that it is not always our fault, but it is due to the organisation of the Sejm's work," says KO MP Iwon Kozłowski, who besides deals with the affairs of people with disabilities, and the subject of individual assistance is peculiarly crucial to her, as in 2024 she was the rapporteur of the presidential project.
Neither was she in the area erstwhile Luke Krason spoke.
I'm always on the subject of the disabled. I always powerfully analyse all sitting for where I should be and speak. But this is completely different – he emphasizes.
Questions on current issues. "This question was raised by Poland 2050-Third Road"
The MP believes that we are a small out of contact with the knowing and logic of what is happening in the Sejm.
– These were questions on current issues. And if these are questions on current issues, then there are those Members who put the question first and then ask it in the parliamentary room. This is not a general session of the Sejm," he stresses.
Iwona Kozłowska reads us the agenda of the Sejm's work on May 8, erstwhile Krasoń spoke. The point in question is set out in the heading "Current information and questions on current matters".
– As for current information, there is 1 subject that the club reports. Last Thursday it was about launching a pilot programme on shortening working time, he says.
The questions were 11, including 1 to the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy "on the systemic support of people with disabilities through individual assistance". It has 27 names of 3rd Way politicians.
This question was raised by Poland 2050 and the 3rd Road. They asked the question and they were in the room. This is not compulsory for another Members. Therefore, during this time the hall is empty – Iwon Kozłowski points out. He adds that the rule is that even if there are more accompanying Members in the Sejm, only 2 people can ask questions.
What does it look like in practice?
– Before sending a question to the club, the club decides which questions will be asked. It is not that any associate can speak. For example, our club has 3 questions. You can submit 20 questions to the club, but only 3 will be selected anyway. They are all examined by club presidents and allowed to appear in the plenary. This is besides the case in another clubs," explains the MP.
"All Members do not participate in the questions and the full plenary is not filled"
The Rules of Procedure of the Sejm read, among others:
"The question must not take more than 2 minutes and the answer must not exceed 6 minutes".
"There is no discussion over the question and the answer given. The right to ask an additional question shall be limited to the requesting question. The additional question may not last more than 1 minute and the supplementary answer may not last more than 3 minutes".
Current questions, as Iwon Kozłowski adds, are additional. They appear erstwhile Members want to hear information straight from the minister on topics that are crucial to them, to their environment or to the full of Poland.
– Therefore, the questions are not attended by all Members and the full plenary is not filled. Only curious people who want to ask a question appear on it. There's no reason to be surprised. In the case of current information or current questions, this is the case at each meeting," says the Member.
As he adds, it happens on Thursday. On that day, the Sejm's agenda includes "Current Information and Questions in Current Matters".
– On May 8, I wrote to the current information, which afraid reduced working time. I didn't hear any information about people with disabilities anywhere, and I wanted to ask. That is why I asked here, what will be the protection of people with disabilities during piloting if it is implemented – he says.
"Unnecessary, incompatible with the seismic reality of the spectacle"
People active in specified matters in the Sejm do not realize how they can be accused of ignoring the problems of people with disabilities.
Iwona Hartwich says May is coming into effect with her social benefit project. – 140 1000 people will receive a social pension higher by PLN 2000. alternatively of PLN 1620, they will receive PLN 3840. I get thanks for that. This is my individual success – he emphasizes.
Iwona Kozłowski: – We work all the time. Whenever it comes to people with disabilities, I execute on their behalf and cry for help. I besides had a speech on Thursday about deaf people and their legal defence erstwhile specified people await prosecution.
The day before we saw an empty area in the Sejm, there was a gathering of the Permanent Subcommittee on People with Disabilities and Social Inclusion, acting within the Social Policy and household Committee. It compares the draft laws on individual assistance. They both participated in it.
– Over 100 people came, and there were NGOs. The subcommittee lasted over 3 hours. I took part in it from beginning to end, asked 4 questions. I have received over 100 questions from my parents, which I will ask Luke Krasoni and Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk on the way to the interview," says Iwona Hartwich.
Iwona Kozłowski: – I participated actively, I asked questions. You could hear the voices of people with disabilities.
Maja Nowak, Polish MP 2050 and the chair of the subcommittee showed the crowds during this meeting.
She's the 1 who asked the questions on current issues. In the above post, she stated that she understood that the pictures from an empty area were impressive. She besides wrote that she was in the courtroom erstwhile Minister Krason spoke. And she explained that his message was a consequence to the question he asked on behalf of the Polish club 2050 (also Marshal Simon Holovnia, who has been seeking this bill from the very beginning).
"This is simply a expression in which there is usually a typical in the Chamber asking a question, which corresponds to and usually respective Members who, for example, ask another question in crucial matters for themselves. Members of this item may not ask additional questions or comment," he explains.
"All the media sound that has been rising since yesterday in the case of an almost empty plenary area during a speech by Minister Łukasz Krasonia is simply a totally unnecessary and incompatible spectacle with the seismic reality," she summed up the full event.
