Polish PM Tusk Says ‘Russian Influence’ Blocked Key Crypto Legislation After Presidential Veto
- Polish President Nawrocki defended his veto, arguing the crypto bill was overly restrictive and granted excessive powers to regulators.
- The dispute deepens political tensions, with Tusk warning the veto leaves citizens exposed to fraud, while Nawrocki plans to introduce his own crypto bill.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has blamed Russian influence for overturning a veto of a cryptocurrency market regulatory bill. PM Tusk failed to secure the required three-fifths majority in parliament as the vote split along party lines.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has already vetoed the legislation on December 1. He argued that the proposed crypto legislation was overly restrictive, lacked transparency, and also threatened economic freedoms by giving “excessive powers” to the Financial Supervision Authority (KNF).
Tusk Raises Concerns of Russian Influence on Crypto Legislation
During a parliamentary session on December 5, PM Donald Tusk warned that the security was at stake. He alleged that “part of the cryptocurrency market is clearly infiltrated and controlled by Russian and Belarusian entities.” He claimed Russian operatives were using cryptocurrency to fund sabotage and interfere in Polish politics.
Tusk argued the presidential veto benefited an unnamed company allegedly linked to criminal funding and “Russian infiltration over the Polish right.” He further claimed that a CPAC conference held in Poland in May was sponsored by a crypto firm with Russian ties.
On the other hand, Russia has already been moving ahead with cryptocurrency use amid ongoing sanctions. During October 2025, the Russian government reportedly approved the use of digital assets for international payment settlements, as reported by CNF.
However, opposition MPs in Poland have rejected the claims, with PiS lawmaker Janusz Kowalski calling the closed-door session a “charade.” Nawrocki’s chief of staff said the classified nature of the meeting was unnecessary and intended to stoke fear.
President Plans An Alternative Crypto Bill
President Nawrocki has rejected talks of receiving any security briefings about cryptocurrency risks before or after issuing the veto. He stated that if such threats existed, “I should have been the first and not the last to know.” Nawrocki signaled he would submit his own bill to regulate the cryptocurrency market.
The government criticized the veto on crypto legislation, warning it leaves users vulnerable amid 5,800 reported crypto-related fraud cases in recent years. Tusk said those who backed the president’s decision “will come to regret it in a few days,” without elaborating.
On the other hand, Russia is having a calculated approach to crypto. The country’s second-largest bank, VTB Bank, is preparing to roll out spot cryptocurrency trading for high-net-worth clients in 2026, as mentioned in our previous story. This is part of the country’s plan to offer regulated digital asset access, in a phased manner.
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