Ukraine responds to Polish president's initiative to ban Ukrainian red and black flag

Officials in Kyiv have reacted to an initiative by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to ban the Ukrainian red and black flag, warning of what the response might be if the Polish Sejm goes ahead with the ban. The red and black flag was historically used by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) during the Second World War and has since become associated with Ukrainian nationalism.

Source: European Pravda, citing its source

Details: On Monday 25 August, Nawrocki announced a legislative initiative that would amend Poland’s Criminal Code to equate the "Bandera symbol" with Nazi and communist symbols. [Stepan Bandera was a Ukrainian nationalist leader who is often criticised in Poland for extremist actions during the Second World War – ed.]

"We are analysing the legal implications of the decisions made and their potential impact on the situation of Ukrainian citizens in Poland," a diplomatic source said.

The source said Kyiv is grateful to Warsaw for all its past decisions in favour of Ukrainian citizens and believes their rights will be respected no less than in other European Union countries.

"However, any politicised decisions to supposedly equate Ukrainian symbols with Nazi and communist ones could provoke an increase in negative sentiment in Ukrainian society and would require a response from the Ukrainian side," the source stressed.

Background:

• On 14 August, Nawrocki called on the Sejm to ban the "Bandera flag" in Poland following incidents that took place during a concert by a Belarusian rapper in Warsaw.
• On 25 August, the Polish president also decided to veto a law on support for Ukrainian refugees who do not have jobs in Poland.
• Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski has criticised Nawrocki’s stance, saying it would mean the end of Starlink internet for Ukraine.

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