As a associate of the Republic of Poland, I request the immediate reaction of the Ministry of abroad Affairs to the Act adopted by the ultimate Council of Ukraine recognising the forced resettlement of Ukrainians from Poland between 1944 and 1951 as unlawful deportations.
Adopted unanimously by all deputies, the rules give formal position to the deportee, supply for compensation and grant additional rights to Ukrainian citizens and their descendants who were resettled on the basis of agreements concluded in September 1944 and February 1951 between the People's Poland and the Ukrainian Socialist russian Republic. In the content of the Act forced resettlement of Ukrainians to the USSR (meaning present Ukraine) were clearly defined as an illegal and criminal act of communist regimes of the russian Union and Poland. However, there is not a single word about the context of these actions – i.e. the request to break up the bander's partisan and guarantee safety in the east lands of the Second Republic.
Although the Act does not supply for a mechanics to agree on its explanation or compensation issues between Poland and Ukraine, the opinion of the Main Office of the technological and Expert Council of Ukraine clearly states: “The questions raised in the bill concerning the designation of forced displacement of Ukrainian people in 1944–1951 from their permanent residence in the territory of the Polish People's Republic should, if possible, besides be resolved through bilateral agreements between Ukraine and Poland.” This is an absolute scandal. If Ukraine formally recognizes displaced Ukrainians from Poland as victims of deportation, then: descendants of these people may claim property in the future – claiming that their grandparents or parents lost their homes, farms, shops or land. specified claims – alleged property restitutions – have already been submitted to Poland by Jewish, German or Polish communities from Kresów. the provisions of the Act can be utilized politically, historically or even judicially, which creates a real threat to precedent. the provisions of the Act already rise concern and opposition in Poland, although Poland – as a border country – has given unprecedented assistance to Ukraine over the last years. Unfortunately, alternatively of gratitude, we are dealing with a bill that not only falsifies the historical context, but was adopted precisely at the time erstwhile Poles commemorate the victims of the Volynian Reich. It is hard to believe that president Volodymyr Zelenski allowed specified a controversial act to be passed at specified a symbolic moment. I call on the Ministry of abroad Affairs of the Republic of Poland to take a position without hold and to supply information on whether and what action will be taken against this situation.
Grzegorz Płaczek
Member of Parliament of the 10th term. president of the Confederate Members' Club
photo profile X of the ultimate Council of Ukraine
For: profile ‘X’
