The Berlin diary "Die Tageszeitung" ("TAZ") describes the changing attitude of Poles towards Ukrainians. The correspondent of the paper Gabriele Lesser points out that in the streets of Polish cities blue-yellow flags are increasingly seen, and information points for refugees from Ukraine have besides disappeared. "Russian trolls in social media managed to make Ukrainians surviving in Poland appear like freeloaders who allegedly receive besides advanced social benefits and take distant the appointments for medical visits" – we read.
Lesser, citing investigation on Polish-Ukrainian sympathies, writes that there has been a cooling of common perception. However, there is 1 exception – the question of military aid from Ukraine. According to most Poles, it should be continued, "though to prevent the escalation of war by Russian president Vladimir Putin and invasion of Poland".
Attacks on Ukrainian citizens
The paper quotes the expert on Polish-Ukrainian relations of the Ukrainian Foundation The Ukrainian home in Warsaw Alexander Pestrykov. In his opinion, a different trend is far more dangerous than cooling of sympathy: an expanding number of Ukrainians who were attacked or threatened in Poland. The speech is about 400 people who have experienced aggression and force in the last 2 years. besides the foundation did not avoid attacks – individual painted a gallows on her door a year ago, another time there was a inscription on the wall referring to the Volyn massacre in Poles.
Pestrykov believes that Russian people who want to drive a wedge between Ukrainians and Poles can be behind provocations. It resembles a false letter, attributed to the Ukrainian House, which was to advance Rafał Trzaskowski as president of Poland. The letter was sent to many cities.
"W The rumor immediately spread that behind Trzaskowski there were supporters of the leader of UPA Stepan Bandera, and the president of Warsaw is not a Polish patriot, but a traitor," explains the expert and adds that Bandera, although he was a nationalist, was staying in a German concentration camp during the massacre of Poles. In his opinion, Donald Tusk, who is accused in Poland of being Berlin's man, must fight a akin patch of 'traitor'.
Cyberwar to the East
"TAZ" describes that Poland is targeted by Russian cyber attacks and propaganda. citing the Eye portal.Press, adds that only last year, as many as 74 million social media users in the country came across false news or hateful entries about Ukrainians.
Also right-wing parties specified as Law and Justice or trade unions fuel envy – we read. "Right-wingers besides organize border blockades and claim that Ukrainian goods do not gotta meet EU standards – and worse fruits, vegetables and meat from Ukraine go to Polish plates. This affects the moods in the country," the paper estimates.
As the "TAZ" writes, many politicians besides adapt to the opinion of most people. As an example, he gives the words of Rafał Trzaskowski, who advocates taking distant the Ukrainians' 800+ kid benefit if they do not work and pay taxes in Poland. The paper emphasizes that the vast majority of Ukrainians in Poland work – up to 70-80 percent.
Migrants better seen
According to a newspaper, many Ukrainians in Poland want to get free of the position of "refugee" and to apply as a "early migrant". Pestrykow explains this "with a cult of work in Poland" and better perception of hard-working migrants. This is besides explained by the fact that the number of Ukrainian refugees in Poland is decreasing, while the number of economical migrants from Ukraine is constantly increasing," we read.
