The most important points of the 78th session of the Sejm were the exposé of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the passing of, among others:

• the Act on Support for Scientific Activity from the Fund of Polish Science 
• The Act on Extending the Powers of War Veterans and Victims of Repression and Granting War Veterans an 850 PLN Supplement to their Pension Every Year 
• Acts prepared by the government in the event of a so-called hard Brexit
• the Act on Financial Market Supervision 

Jacek Czaputowicz, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Poland, briefed the High Chamber on the tasks of Polish foreign policy for 2019. Its most important goals are:

• working to restore citizens' trust in institutions EU
• reinstatement of European Union full, unquestionable legitimacy
• restoration of capacity EU to solve real problems of people 
• strategic partnership, expanding US military presence in Poland as part of strengthening NATO's eastern flank
• discussion on war reparations
• call on Russia to implement the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, i.e. to hand over the wreckage of the presidential Tu-154 plane to Poland
• Good cooperation with Israel and combating stereotypes
• regional cooperation in Central Europe, within V4 and with Germany
• strengthening relations with Asian countries
• humanitarian aid

The minister also recalled the important anniversaries that Poland will celebrate in 2019:

• 20. Poland's accession to NATO
• 15. accession of Poland to EU
• The 30th victory of Solidarity in the elections of 4 June 1989.
• 450. the foundation of the Polish-Lithuanian Union
• 75th Warsaw Uprising
• 80th outbreak of WW2

The Sejm has passed the act on supporting scientific activity from the Fund of Polish Science. It assumes the introduction of a new mechanism of financing scientific research and its commercialization. It is supposed to be one of the ways to solve the problem of low commercialization of ideas that should be applied in the production of innovative and competitive products.

The Sejm decided on extending the rights of veterans and victims of repressions and on granting war invalids an annual 850 zloty supplement to their pension. The changes concern, among others, rights of veterans and persons who were victims of war and post-war repressions. War invalids and military personnel living abroad will also be able to receive benefits.

The Sejm has passed bills prepared by the government in the event of a so-called hard Brexit. The new regulations concern, among others, provisions governing the principles of residence in Poland of British citizens, recognition of professional qualifications acquired in the Islands, protection of interests of Polish clients of financial institutions based in the UK.

The Sejm adopted the nhe amendment of the act on supervision over the financial market.  The purpose of the amendments is to ensure effective implementation of the EU Regulation of 12 December 2017 on the establishment of a general framework for securitisation.

The deputies passed an act containing rules on which MEPs elected in the May elections will be designatedA solution was introduced whereby, from among the candidates of the committee which received a seat corresponding to the 52nd electoral quotient, the candidate whom the legislator considers the least legitimate to take up a seat is the one who received the least number of votes.

Sejm amended a number of laws to increase scrutiny of the profession of restructuring advisor. By the Chamber's decision, advisers will also be subject to supervision by the Minister of Justice. The purpose of the amendment is to strengthen supervision over the activity of restructuring advisors and to increase transparency of the system of their appointment.

The Sejm amended Road Traffic Law and Criminal Code. The purpose of the adopted amendments is to counteract the practice of falsifying odometer readings. The proposed provisions fill the gap in the law, which makes it impossible to identify the perpetrator of fraud consisting in counterfeiting the odometer readings, when the vehicle offered does not come from the first owner. In addition, the amendment seeks to eliminate the practice of offering services to underestimate the odometer reading of a vehicle.

The Sejm adopted amendments to the House Rules. The amendment provides, among other things, for increased accessibility of parliamentary work by means of full recordings of sessions of parliamentary subcommittees.

Adopted amendment to the act on exchange of tax information with other countries modifies the rules and mode of tax information exchange. The act adjusts Polish regulations to EU regulations.

The Sejm amended the law on public roadsThis will enable the selection of a public entity to build a new electronic toll collection system. The amendment creates a basis for appointing a public entity to provide services related to ICT systems used to collect electronic fees.

Rural Housewives' Circles will be able to operate not only in villagesbut also on the territory of villages within city limits and in towns with up to 5,000 inhabitants - envisages the amended Act on KGW. The amendment amends the Act on Rural Housewives' Circles passed in November 2018, which gave the circles legal personality and enabled them to conduct economic activity. The circles, established under this law, must be registered with the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture.

photo by marta olejnik