Newest SW Re pollsearch for “Rzeczpospolita” reveals that more than half of Poles believe that the exhumation of victims of genocide on VolIt should be 1 of the conditions for Ukraine's accession to the European Union. On the question: "Should Ukraine's entry into the European Union be conditional on consenting to the exhumation of victims of the Volyn massacre?", as many as 52.6% of respondents replied "yes". 19.6% were opposed, while 27.8% did not.
Gender breakdown of opinions
Wiktoria Maruszczak, elder task manager at SW Research, draws attention to an interesting gender-based division of opinions. It turns out that men are much more likely to support the thought of exhumation as a condition for Ukraine's accession to the EU - as much as 60% of them consider this condition important. Among women, this percent is 46%, indicating a more diverse approach to this issue among women.
Survey methodology
The survey was conducted on 24-25 September 2024 on a typical group of 800 net users over the age of 18. The results of this survey show that the subject of the exhumation of victims of Volyn continues to rise strong emotions in Polish society, as an crucial part of the discussion on possible accession of Ukraine to the European Union.
Political positions: Exhumations and Ukrainian accession
The issue of exhumation of victims of Volyn is not only the subject of social debates, but besides became a subject of discussion among Polish politicians. The Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz late stated that Ukraine's accession to the European Union was not possible without a solution. His position is clear: "I believe that without ending this case, without respecting and commemorating the victims, there is no mention of Ukraine joining the European Union."
This message reflects the view of part of the society that demands full explanation and commemoration of the victims of the Volyn massacre as a condition for Ukraine's accession to EU structures.
The reaction of president Andrzej Duda
President Andrzej Duda, who presented a different position, besides addressed this controversial issue. He warned that specified an approach to the case could be seen as acting in accordance with Russia's interests. "If individual says (...) that they will block Ukraine's access to the European Union, that is why they are part of Vladimir Putin's policy," said the President.
"Putin policy". Duda Criticizes Kosiniak-Kamisha on request from Ukraine the exhumation of bodies of Volyn genocide
His message was criticised by those who believe that commemorating Volyn's victims should be 1 of the priorities in Polish-Ukrainian relations and that Ukraine should take a clear position on this issue before joining the EU.
Exhumations in Volyn – issue unresolved
Exhumations of the victims of the Volynian Reich are a delicate and unresolved subject, which further complicates relations between Poland and Ukraine. The genocide in Volyn, made in 1943–1945 by Ukrainian nationalists on Poles inhabiting the area, remains 1 of the most painful chapters of the common past of both nations. For years, efforts have been underway to commemorate the victims of this tragedy, but the process is facing many difficulties, including political and administrative ones.
Perspectives for Ukraine on the road to the European Union
Ukraine's quest for membership of the European Union faces many challenges. 1 of them is to solve the problem of exhumation of victims of Volyn, which is simply a symbolic issue, but very crucial for Poland. Consent to exhumation would be a motion that could improve Polish-Ukrainian relations and accelerate Ukraine's integration into the EU.
However, as the results of the SW investigation survey show, many Poles believe that solving this problem should be 1 of the conditions for Ukraine's accession to the Community. It is besides worth noting that Poland's position on this substance may affect further relations with another EU countries, which besides observe how Ukraine is dealing with historical and national issues.
Will the Volyn issue hinder Ukraine's integration into the EU?
The debate on the exhumation of the victims of Volyn in the context of Ukraine's integration into the EU seems to be 1 of the more emotional topics for both Polish society and politicians. The results of the survey and key political figures show that this issue remains open and will likely be subject to further global negotiations and discussions.
Summary: Will the exhumation condition become part of the accession talks?
Although the exhumations of the victims of the Volynska Rzebi proceed to be hard and painful, it seems to many Poles that this issue is an crucial component which should not be overlooked in negotiations concerning Ukraine's accession to the EU. SW Research's survey shows that Polish society expects Ukraine to take concrete steps to commemorate Volyn's victims.
Daniel Głogowski
Expert in his field – Publicist, author and social activist. The first articles were published in 1999 for global publishers. For more than 30 years, he has gained his experience through cooperation with the largest editorial offices. In his articles, he seeks to address controversial topics and present first viewpoints that allowed for a deeper knowing of the issues discussed.
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Exhuming the bodies of victims of the Volyn massacre under Ukrainian accession to the EU? What do the Poles think?
