The rejected amendment, informally called “Lex Kamilek,” had been passed by parliament in August.
Presidential aide Zbigniew Bogucki said last week Nawrocki’s decision followed a negative opinion from the Children’s Rights Ombudsman, Monika Horna-Cieślak, who warned the changes could allow individuals convicted of crimes such as child abuse, human trafficking, or drug offences to gain access to children in schools.
"The amendment significantly and unjustifiably lowers the standard of protection of children from harm," Horna-Cieślak said in a statement.
The proposal would have eased paperwork for parents, schools, and institutions working with children, Polish state news agency PAP reporte.
Instead of presenting official certificates from the National Criminal Register, parents and other adults would have been allowed to submit written declarations.
The reform also removed the obligation for schools to check the criminal records of people already vetted by other institutions, such as sports clubs.
Some professionals, including police officers, lawyers, and judges, would have been exempt from presenting certificates.
In addition, volunteers, students, and trainees would no longer have had to pay fees for criminal record certificates.
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek criticised the veto during a press conference in Gdańsk at the end of last month, calling it a decision that “makes life harder for Poles.”
He said the amendment was designed to reduce bureaucracy while maintaining protection for children.
“Now even a police officer wanting to accompany a class trip will still have to stand in long lines for a certificate and pay for it,” Żurek argued.
He added that he would seek talks with the president and the Children’s Rights Ombudsman to find a compromise.
Teachers’ union leader Sławomir Broniarz sided with the president’s decision.
He stressed that while the amendment would have simplified life for most parents, it was essential to keep strict safeguards.
“In such an important matter as the well-being of children, one cannot take shortcuts,” he told reporters.
The Częstochowa-based foundation To ja – Dziecko im. Kamilka Mrozka, which works to prevent violence against children, also welcomed the veto.
Its head, Piotr Kucharczyk, called the president’s move “a responsible decision that restores hope for real protection of the youngest.”
The amendment had been controversial throughout the legislative process.
Despite objections raised in both chambers of parliament, the upper house, the Senate, passed it on August 7 by 54 votes to 34.
The president’s veto means the law will not take effect unless lawmakers muster a three-fifths majority to override his decision.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP