Polish Parliament Fails to Override President's Veto on Crypto Law; PM Alleges Russian Interference

Gate News message, April 18 — Polish lawmakers failed on Friday to overturn President Karol Nawrocki's veto on a government-proposed cryptocurrency regulation bill. The Sejm voted 243 to 191, falling short of the 263 votes required to override the presidential block. The legislation aims to transpose the EU's Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework into Polish law, but the president has twice rejected it, citing overregulation and excessive burden on small businesses.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk escalated the political conflict by accusing the president of acting under Russian influence. Tusk claimed that a major Polish crypto exchange is funded by Russian money linked to organized crime and intelligence services, and that it has sponsored events backing opposition figures, including the presidential campaign. According to Poland's security agency ABW, the exchange's CEO made large donations to opposition-linked foundations. The CEO acknowledged this week that he lacks access to a crypto wallet holding over $330 million in Bitcoin since his predecessor's disappearance in 2022. The exchange has recently faced reports of liquidity issues affecting withdrawals and payments.

Poland remains the only EU member state yet to comply with the MiCA framework, with a July deadline. Finance Minister Andrzej Domański stated that the lack of regulation creates an "El Dorado for fraudsters" and leaves consumers and entrepreneurs without protection. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński vowed the government will continue pushing for crypto market regulation.