A draft resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Volhynia genocide has returned to committee after the Senate majority introduced amendments. Some PiS senators brought forward alternative versions, including one that mirrors the wording used in a Sejm resolution.
The Senate discussed the draft late on a Wednesday evening. Marcin Bosacki, the legislative committee rapporteur, noted that there was no consensus in committee and many amendments were submitted, altering the text originally prepared by PiS Senator Jerzy Czerwiński.
What the Senate bill addresses
The draft prepared by the senators emphasizes that on July 11, 1943, in a series of coordinated assaults by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, dozens of Polish villages in Volhynia were destroyed. Historians describe this as the culmination of violent campaigns that resulted in a large number of Polish deaths, with estimates often cited around 100,000 victims. The resolution places the massacre within the broader context of violence in the region during that period.
The text notes that victims included not only Poles but also Jews, Czechs, Armenians, Roma, Russians, and even Ukrainians who tried to save their Polish neighbors. It recalls the brutal suppression carried out by German forces in the General Government and border areas of the Second Polish Republic, including shootings, arson, seizures of property, and transports to extermination camps. It mentions the hard quotas imposed on agricultural production under German occupation.
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The draft highlights Michniów, a village in the Suchedniów municipality, as a symbol of mass pacification, having been burned twice and its people largely killed. The anniversary of these events is observed nationwide as a Day of Battle and Martyrdom of Polish Villages.
The Senate pays tribute to all those murdered by Ukrainian nationalists and German occupiers, and to their families, committing to keeping their memory alive through educational, scientific, and cultural activities. It distance-reads a firm belief that understanding the genocide suffered by Polish residents of the eastern territories of the Second Polish Republic should remain a priority for Polish institutions. The draft states plainly that Poland does not forget its victims.
It notes the courage of “righteous Ukrainians” who risked their lives to help Polish neighbors during the worst days and says they deserve the highest recognition.
The Senate honors these individuals, with the language indicating that their acts deserve lasting tribute.
The project also points out that remains of many victims lie in nameless graves and remain inadequately memorialized. It urges that excavation work proceed and that all victims of the eastern borderlands genocide be buried with dignity and properly commemorated.
The draft cautions against turning memory toward nationalism. It calls for a balanced Polish-Ukrainian relationship that rejects glorification of nationalist views. It notes that Ukraine has faced aggression for more than 500 days and asserts support for Ukraine as a nation in the European and transatlantic community of democracies.
The Senate expresses respect for Ukrainians who uphold independence and democratic European values, arguing that difficult lessons from the past should not undermine shared interests and values between Poland and Ukraine.
Support for Ukraine’s NATO and EU membership
The document also states explicit support for Ukraine’s aspirations to join both NATO and the European Union.
During the debate, some members suggested that changes to the PiS draft were made under pressure in committee. The chair and other senators described the process as a series of proposed amendments that aimed to refine the text, while some called for separating the Michniów pacification issue from the Volhynia massacre discussion. A separate version based on forgiveness and the perspectives of victims’ families was presented by Jerzy Czerwiński and discussed as an alternate path for the resolution.
Other participants argued that it would be better to treat these issues as distinct items rather than bundling them together. They urged patience and cautioned against pressuring Ukraine to meet any set of conditions before moving forward with a joint resolution.
Several senators commented on the broader context, including the need to address the historical memory with sensitivity and nuance and to avoid using the resolution to impose political conditions on Ukraine’s future alignment with Western institutions.
In closing remarks, the committee chair indicated that the Senate would not endorse Senator Czerwiński’s incendiary phrasing or the more parliamentary version. Instead, there was consideration of splitting the topics into two separate resolutions to be discussed independently. The aim appeared to be a cautious, inclusive approach that honors the victims while preserving constructive relations with Ukraine.
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Source: wPolityce
[Citation: wPolityce]