On Friday, President Nawrocki vetoed the government's proposed legislation, which was intended to strengthen mechanisms for addressing unlawful online content, including hate speech.
Commenting on the decision on the social media platform X, Gawkowski said the veto would have consequences for efforts to tackle harmful content on the internet. "The President bears personal responsibility for all of this," he wrote.
Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Dariusz Standerski also criticized the veto, calling it "scandalous."
"For the second time, the President has blocked a law designed to protect Poles from the most dangerous online crimes, including incitement to suicide, contract killings, and content harmful to children. These are not merely opinions or controversial content; they are crimes," Standerski wrote on X.
Gawkowski said the government would continue work on new legislation aimed at improving online safety.
"We will draft another bill to ensure safety on the internet," he said, adding that while the President had vetoed the legislation, "he has not vetoed the problem itself."
Speaking at a press conference, Gawkowski repeated that the underlying issues addressed by the bill remained unresolved despite the veto. He argued that the dispute concerned whether the state should have effective tools to combat illegal and harmful online activity, including so-called "patho-streaming," a term used in Poland to describe exploitative or harmful live-streamed content.
The minister also announced plans to prepare new legislation addressing online safety.
"Certainly, no one is going to give up because of this veto. We do not intend to back down. We will draft another piece of legislation that ensures safety on the internet," Gawkowski said.
(pu)
Source: PAP