- According to the adopted bill, the new law is also to prohibit the keeping of pets on a permanent tether and the use of spikes
- The bill was announced after the report of the Onet journalist Janusz Schwertner “Bloody fur business”
- Jarosław Kaczyński’s ideas were criticized by farmers and people associated with the fur industry. The Confederation and the PiS coalition partner, Solidarna Polska, also spoke out against the project
- On Wednesday morning, there was a protest in front of the PiS headquarters against the idea of ”animal fives”. Protesters from the seat at ul. Nowogrodzka had to be fenced off by the police
Among the 75 voters against the bill, there were 38 MPs from the Law and Justice club. One of them was the Minister of Agriculture, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, who openly spoke out against this act.
The main voice of opposition in the coalition was Solidarna Polska Zbigniew Ziobro, which on Wednesday voted against the bill at first reading. The deputies of the party of the minister of justice also remained consistent on Thursday. Among others, Tadeusz Cymański, Sebastian Kaleta, Jan Kanthak, Janusz Kowalski, Jacek Ozdoba, Michał Wójcik, Marcin Warchoł, Zbigniew Ziobro and Michał Woś voted against the project.
The MPs from the Covenant, Jarosław Gowin, acted differently, and abstained from voting along with their leader. They were, among others: Kamil Bortniczuk, Wojciech Maksymowicz, Iwona Michałek, Magdalena Sroka, Michał Wypij and Jacek Żalek.
Storm in the plenary hall
The vote on the changes to the Animal Protection Act was preceded by a heated debate in the Sejm. The Confederation MPs were primarily against the changes to the act. In their opinion, the proposed changes hit the Polish countryside and entrepreneurs.
Dobromir Sośnierz appealed to Law and Justice MPs to “break off the chairman’s leash”. Grzegorz Braun stated that “PiS is attacking the Polish countryside and devastating Poland together with the post-communist and neo-Eurocommunists.”
Another Confederation politician, Robert Winnicki, stated that there is no moral difference whether someone keeps “a mink, a hamster or a snake that eats mice” in a cage in appropriate conditions. “You’re driving some absurd and insane about animal rights,” he said.
Politicians from PSL-Kukiz15 also criticized the draft amendment to the Law on Animal Protection by PiS. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the project an act of stupidity and an embargo on Polish agriculture. His club mate Andrzej Grzyb drew attention to the financial consequences of the shutdown of certain animal farming for dairy farms. – What will they do in the future with the calves that are born? After all, a male calf is a cost in dairy farming, a waste. What, are we going to dispose of these calves? said Grzyb.
In turn, PiS MP Marek Suski expressed his deep conviction that the Sejm would adopt the bill. – We will join the countries that can pride themselves on the fact that they are countries that treat humanely not only people but also animals, our younger brothers. On behalf of the PiS club, I strongly recommend this draft to be adopted by the High Chamber and we will also ask you to support the amendments that we will submit by the end of the second reading – he said.
The head of the club of the Left, Krzysztof Gawkowski, argued that responsibility for animals should unite and not divide. At the same time, he judged that “shameful” words were uttered in the Sejm hall. – People who today take the side of disrespect for animals should be ashamed that they represent the nation in this room. Responsibility for animals is the same as responsibility for people. Who does not know this, betrays animals. You, gentlemen from the Confederation, are where the people who abuse, beat and mistreat animals stand, said Gawkowski.
Amendment to the Animal Protection Act
On Wednesday afternoon, the Sejm began work on two bills by PiS and KO, concerning in the Animal Protection Act. The PiS project prohibits the breeding of animals for fur, the use of animals for entertainment and spectacles, and allows ritual slaughter only for the needs of national religious associations.
The KO draft assumes, in addition to the ban on the use of animals for entertainment purposes, also solutions for the decent existence of animals withdrawn from service (e.g. police or rescue dogs).
The projects are the aftermath of a report by the journalist of Onet Janusz Schwertner “Bloody fur business”.
sources: Onet / PAP
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