Polish PM candidate calls for respect from Zelenskyy

The Law and Justice party (PiS) has nominated former education minister Przemyslaw Czarnek as its candidate for prime minister of Poland. The announcement was made by party leader Jaroslaw Kaczyński at the party’s convention in Krakow on Saturday, according to the news portal Do Rzeczy.

In his speech, Czarnek said Poland would continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, but expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian authorities to show greater respect for Poland.

‘We helped them in our own interest to prevent Russian tanks from standing on our borders. We will continue to help in this interest, but we demand respect from Mr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian authorities,’ Czarnek said.

He argued that Ukraine is surviving thanks to Poland’s support. At the same time, he said Poland needs Ukraine and Belarus as a buffer zone between itself and Russia.

Czarnek also addressed the historical issue of the massacres of Poles in Volhynia during the Second World War. He criticised the Ukrainian authorities for, in his view, blocking the exhumation of the remains of victims killed by Ukrainian nationalists.

He noted that many Poles took in refugees from Ukraine after the Russian invasion, regardless of historical disputes. However, he said it was unacceptable for Ukraine to prevent the discovery and exhumation of the victims of the Volhynia massacres.

(max)