The Verkhovna Rada recognized the forced eviction of Ukrainians from Poland in 1944-1951 as deportation
The Verkhovna Rada passed a decision to recognize as deportation the forced eviction of Ukrainians from their permanent residences on the territory of Poland in the period from 1944 to 1951, in particular during the Vistula operation. Draft Law No. 2038 was supported by a total of 284 people’s deputies, reported member of the “Voice” faction, Yaroslav Zheleznyak.
We are talking about the autochthonous Ukrainian population of Lemkivshchyna, Nadsyanya, Kholmshchyna, Podlyashchy, Lyubachivshchyna and Western Boykivshchyna. The document provides for amendments to the current legislation, supplementing the definition of deportation and including Ukrainians who were forcibly resettled from the territory of the Polish People’s Republic.
The explanatory note states that the deportation took place on the basis of the agreements concluded between the authorities of the former USSR and the Polish People’s Republic in September 1944 and February 1951. During this time, more than 700,000 Ukrainians were forcibly resettled from Zakerzon. The draft law provides for the introduction of compensation for material and moral damage in the form of annual one-time monetary assistance.
Also, Ukrainians who will receive the status of deportees are offered a number of benefits — in particular, free travel in public transport, as well as in rail, water, air or long-distance road transport. Once a year, such a person will be able to take advantage of a 50% discount on travel.
“Deportation in 1944-1951 is one of the tragic consequences of the Second World War, carried out by the communist totalitarian regimes of the Soviet Union and Poland. The purpose of the draft law is to restore social justice by recognizing the forced resettlement of persons of Ukrainian origin in 1944-1951 from their places of permanent residence in the territory of the Polish People’s Republic by deportation.”, says the explanatory note.
