The Sejm of the Republic of Poland adopted a resolution recognizing the mass kill of Poles by Ukrainian nationalists in 1943 as a genocide.
Photo: EPA / Rafal Guz
On Friday, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (the Polish parliament) adopted a resolution recognizing the mass kill of Poles by Ukrainian nationalists in 1943, known as the Volhynia Massacre, as genocide. The draft resolution was supported by 432 lawmakers, none of them voted against, and 10 abstained.
“The genocide committed from 1943 to 1945 resulted in the massacres of more than 100,000 citizens of the Second Polish Republic, mostly peasants. Their exact number is still unknown, and many of them have not been buried with dignity to date,” the resolution said. “The memories of the victims of the crimes committed by Ukrainian nationalists in the 1940s have not been duly cherished until now, and mass murders were not called genocide in accordance with historical truth.”
The Sejm’s resolution also declared “July 11 Day of commemoration in memory of the Poles who fell victim to the genocide,” as well as recognized the Polish repression against the Ukrainian population. Deputies of the Sejm said about the need of further reconciliation and cooperation with Ukraine.
Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko expressed regret in connection with the resolution of the Sejm.