Resolution on the Volyn tragedy approved by the Sejm of Poland

On Tuesday, July 11, the Seimas of Poland adopted a resolution on honoring the memory of the victims of the Volyn tragedy on its 80th anniversary. The deputies said that the Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation should include “admission of guilt and honoring the memory of the victims.”

440 deputies took part in the voting, all of them supported the resolution and voted in favor. The document refers to the events of July 11, 1943 in Volyn, when “Bloody Sunday took place – the climax” of the Volyn tragedy. Polish deputies call it genocide, quotes text of the resolution “UK”:

“On that day, the Ukrainian units of the OUN and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), often supported by the Ukrainian civilian population, attacked 99 villages of the former Volyn Voivodeship inhabited by Poles and killed a significant part of them. The Sejm of the Republic of Poland wants to honor the memory of all the victims of the Volyn tragedy. A special Recognition deserves those representatives of the Ukrainian nation who, risking their lives, opposed the crime committed by their compatriots.

The resolution notes that since 2016, July 11 has been celebrated as the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide, during which “more than 100,000 Poles were killed – often in a very cruel way.”

The document emphasizes that “Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation, which has been built over the years by representatives of both peoples, should also include an admission of guilt and honoring the memory of the victims of the years of World War II. It is necessary to carry out an exhumation, a worthy burial and honor the memory of all victims of the genocide in the eastern border lands.”

Last Sunday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Poland Andrzej Duda visited Lutsk to joint celebration victims of the Volyn tragedy. Zelensky and Duda visited the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. The event was attended by Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epiphanius, Metropolitan of Lutsk and Volyn Mikhail, His Beatitude Svyatoslav, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Earlier, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that this year in July, Ukraine and Poland will hold a number of joint activities in honor of the memory of the victims of the Volyn tragedy.

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