Polish President Vetoes Bill Extending Foreign Doctors' Language Deadline

Polish President Andrzej Duda has vetoed a legislative amendment that would have extended the deadline for doctors from outside the European Union to demonstrate proficiency in the Polish language. The bill, passed by both the Sejm and the Senate in May, aimed to grant these medical professionals, who received conditional practice rights (PWZ) in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, an additional year. This extension would have pushed the deadline for obtaining a B1 level Polish language certificate to May 1, 2027.

President Duda explained his decision by stating that "every Pole has the right to expect that they can communicate effectively and without obstacles with their doctor," emphasizing that such communication is crucial for health safety and the quality of treatment. His veto overrides the parliamentary decision and upholds the original deadline, which has already led to the revocation of practice rights for many foreign doctors.

As of June 11, 441 doctors from outside the EU have lost their right to practice in Poland due to their failure to provide the required B1 Polish language certificate by the deadline. The Lower Silesian Medical Chamber in Wrocław has revoked the most licenses (129), followed by the Warsaw Medical Chamber (99). According to Jakub Kosikowski, spokesperson for the Supreme Medical Council, a total of 2,321 doctors and 1,014 dentists had not submitted the necessary certificates by early May.

Łukasz Jankowski, president of the Supreme Medical Council, expressed satisfaction with the President's decision, stating that a doctor wishing to practice in Poland must know the Polish language. He criticized the Ministry of Health for not heeding the medical community's concerns during the legislative process and for pushing for the one-year extension. Jankowski also raised concerns about the manner in which the amendment was introduced, describing it as an "insertion" into a bill concerning a different topic.

The veto is seen as a positive development for patients, ensuring they will be treated by doctors who can communicate effectively in Polish. President Duda had met with the head of the medical community prior to the bill's final passage to discuss the controversial provision. Jankowski had previously argued that treating patients is difficult without a shared language and that situations had arisen where doctors unable to speak Polish were practicing medicine.