Panchenko received the 2026 Freedom of Word Medal. A dispute is coming back about her words about arson of shops and houses

Natalia Panchenko, head of the Stand with Ukraine Foundation and leader of Euromaidan-Warsaw initiative, received Medal of Freedom of Word 2026 in the category Citizen/Citizen. The gala was organized by the Grand Press Foundation on 28 August 2026 at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk. The award returned to the public debate together with her message from February 2025, in which she talked about fights and arsons of shops and houses in Poland.

The Chapter awarded Panchenko for building an agreement between Poles and Ukrainians

In the justification of the chapter, she wrote that Panchenko "from the beginning of his public activity builds an agreement between Poles and Ukrainians, showing that dialogue, common knowing and solidarity are stronger than prejudice and divisions". The Chapter worked in the line-up: Weronika Mirowska as chairman, Krzysztof Głuchowski, Dominik Kuc, Ewa Siedlecka and Piotr Świerczek. The Medal in the category of the Institution went to Sister Margaret Chmielewski and the Foundation of Community Breads of Life, in the category of Media to Leszek Jażdżewski from “Liberté!”, and a peculiar medal to Andrzej Poczobut, a writer imprisoned in Belarus for over 5 years.

Panchenko was born in 1988 in the Połtawski Oblast in Ukraine, has lived in Poland for respective years and has Polish citizenship.

After the Russian invasion, her activities focused on the assistance of Ukraine, demonstrations, collections and political and social activities concerning Polish-Ukrainian relations. In March 2022, she co-organised the blockade of trucks carrying goods to Russia, and in February 2026 abroad Minister Radosław Sikorski thanked her from the parliament's mouthpiece for the collection “The heat from Poland to Kiev”. It was this activity that the organizers of the Medal of Freedom of Word indicated as the basis of this year's distinction.

A large message was made in February 2025 in the Ukrainian Channel 5

The speech, which returns on the occasion of the medal, fell in conversation for Ukrainian Channel 5 in early February 2025, during the run before the presidential elections in Poland. The discussion concerned, among another things, the situation of Ukrainians in Poland and the rhetoric of politicians calling for a simplification in part of benefits for Ukrainian citizens. The activist argued that the instigation of hostility towards Ukrainians threatened the interior safety of Poland, and reminded that 1 in 10 residents of the country is Ukrainian. The interview was not published in the Polish translation by any editorial board – only cut pieces entered into circulation.

Because today, erstwhile all tenth Polish citizen is Ukrainian, fueling hostility between Ukrainians and Poles is dangerous primarily for Poland. due to the fact that in Poland there will be fights, due to the fact that in Poland there will be arson of shops, houses, etc.

Gala of the Medal of Freedom of Word at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk, 28 August 2026. photo. Facebook / Natalia Panchenko

Confederate politicians read these words as a threat and demanded deportation

Confederate politicians, including Paul Usiądek on X, distributed a passage of arson. Mr Włodzimierz Skalik demanded the immediate deportation of the activist, and Konrad Berkowicz accused her of threatening Poland alternatively of helping. erstwhile Prime Minister Leszek Miller said on Radio Zet in February 2025 that Panchenko is joining the Polish electoral run and her words contain a clear threat. Kresy.pl portal wrote about scaring Poles with arsons, and after a gala in Gdańsk, the same allegations returned in social media and in right-wing portals. The foreigner returns regularly in the Polish debate, as in the case in which Germany allowed deportations of Ukrainians from Germany.

Panchenko herself rejects specified an interpretation. In February 2025, she said that she never announced that the Ukrainians would set anyone on fire, that her speech was much longer, and that anyone who wanted to address her should scope out to the source. She besides pointed to the possible engagement of Russian services in spreading the revised quotes on the 3rd anniversary of the full-scale invasion.

I never said that the Ukrainians would set individual on fire or do anything.

The opinion about “my Poland” sparked a dispute with Leszek Miller

Another political storm called Panchenko on 10 August 2026 during a demonstration in Warsaw. She spoke from the phase about Poland built on fear and contempt and about the fact that Poles do not have a monopoly on Poland.

I will not give Poland, my Poland, people who effort to build it on fear, hatred and contempt.

On the same day, he responded to her in X Leszek Miller, referring to the victims of the Volyn crime. The erstwhile Prime Minister wrote: “It will never be your Poland. My Poland lies in the fields and in the forests of Volyn. Go, search and return to us the bones of the murdered." The entry became 1 of the most commented voices in the case and returned to circulation after the gala in Gdańsk.

Confederate MP asks the Ministry of abroad Affairs about the mode of granting Panchenko citizenship

The case went beyond comments on social media. On 1 September 2026, Confederate MP Grzegorz Płaczek informed of the sending of the parliamentary intervention to Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński on Panchenko's acquisition of Polish citizenship. The associate demands that the procedure in which it obtained it be established and that the activities prior to the granting of citizenship, including those with the participation of the Police and interior safety Agency, be checked. In support of the speech, Płaczek asked, on the basis of which criteria the activist received Polish citizenship, and criticized the composition of the Chapter of the Medal of Freedom of the Word.

The parliamentary intervention is simply a question to the ministry, not proof that there has been irregularities erstwhile granting citizenship. The Ministry of the Interior and Administration did not respond to the Member's speech until the day of publication. Citizenship is given by the president and his decision does not require justification and is not subject to review by the administrative court.

What is the Medal of Freedom of Word and who grants it

The Word Freedom Medal is simply a discrimination awarded by the Grand Press Foundation, the organizer of the Grand Press journalism competition. The award goes to people and institutions speaking on public matters, in the categories Media, Institution and Citizen, and the chapter can besides be awarded a peculiar medal. The gala is organized at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk, and in 2026 was led by Piotr Kraśko. Candidates are reported by editorials, organizations and individuals, and the winners are chosen by a chapter appointed by the Foundation.

Panchenko announces further activity, the subject of the medal returns in politics

The activist announced the continuation of work on Polish-Ukrainian relations in Gdańsk. Earlier, in the podcast of Onetu "The Account of Conscience" by Tomasz Sekielski published on 2 August 2026, she spoke of Ukrainian children beaten and challenged in Polish schools and trams – that message besides met with criticism of right-wing media. Confederate politicians announced a tightening of the rules for the granting of citizenship; by the date of publication no task allowing the collection of average citizenship was included in the list of seismic printing. This year, the government amended the rules on abroad residence, including the right to work in visa-free movement for citizens of Colombia, Venezuela and Georgia, as described in the text on how many there are Colombians in Poland.

Frequently asked questions

Who got the 2026 Freedom of Word Medal?

The medals were received by Sister Małgorzata Chmielewski in the Institution category, Leszek Jażdżewski from “Liberté!” in the Media and Natalia Panczenko category in the Citizen/Citizen category. peculiar Medal was awarded to Andrzej Poczobut, a writer imprisoned in Belarus. The gala was held on 28 August 2026 at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk.

What precisely did Natalia Panchenko say about the arsons?

In a conversation for Ukrainian Channel 5 in February 2025, she said that the fueling of hostility between Ukrainians and Poles is dangerous mainly for Poland, due to the fact that in Poland fights and arson of shops and houses will begin. Confederate politicians read it as a threat, and Panchenko herself argued that she had warned against the effects of polarization, and denied that she would announce arson.

What does the Parliament's intervention in Panchenko concern?

Grzegorz Płaczek asked the Minister of Interior and Administration on 1 September 2026 about the mode of acquisition of Polish citizenship by Natalia Panchenko and the activities preceding this decision, including the participation of the Police and interior safety Agency. The hotel did not respond by publication date.

Who grants the Medal of Freedom of Word?

The award is awarded by the Grand Press Foundation, the organizer of the Grand Press competition. The winners are elected by a chapter appointed by the foundation; in 2026 she worked in the composition of: Weronika Mirowska as chairman, Krzysztof Głuchowski, Dominik Kuc, Ewa Siedlecka and Piotr Świerczek.