The responsible politicians in Poland and Ukraine must prevent the escalation of interethnic animosity, as a conflict between the two nations would have severe repercussions for both countries.
This was stated on Friday in the Sejm by the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, commenting on the tragic incident in the town of Bytów (northern Poland) between Ukrainians and Poles, which resulted in the death of a Polish citizen, as reported by Ukrinform correspondent.
According to the head of the Polish government, he has carefully reviewed the police reports, and currently, “everything indicates that this fight did not have the character of an interethnic conflict,” but was a domestic dispute fueled by alcohol consumption.
The Polish Prime Minister emphasized that it does not matter who commits violence – a Pole or a Ukrainian.
“It is irrelevant to me who is hitting, who is disrespecting other people – whether it is a Ukrainian or a Pole. If someone does such things, they must bear criminal responsibility,” he stressed.
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Tusk warned against the spread of hatred and animosity towards people of different nationalities or political views.
“The worst thing that can happen to us is if we go down the path of disrespect, hatred, and animosity towards people who think differently or have a different nationality. This would be hell, and some people want to create such hell for us,” the Prime Minister stated.
He added that he observes “very dangerous trends” on the other side of the border as well – in Ukraine.
“The task of responsible politicians in Kyiv and Warsaw is to prevent this trend, because if we start fighting each other, there is no need to explain how it will end,” Tusk emphasized.
As is known, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, strongly condemned the crime in Bytów, stating that “there is no justification for such brutal actions in a civilized society.”
In turn, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Gdańsk, within whose territorial jurisdiction the crime occurred, also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasized that “crimes have no nationality,” and the actions of individuals should not cast a shadow on the vast majority of law-abiding Ukrainians living in Poland.
As is known, the Polish prosecution is investigating the circumstances of the fight in Bytów, Pomeranian Voivodeship (northern Republic of Poland), which resulted in the death of one man and serious bodily injuries to another person. The incident occurred on the evening of July 9 in the center of Bytów. According to Polish law enforcement officers, a 36-year-old Polish citizen and his 44-year-old partner were attacked by three Ukrainian citizens aged 28, 30, and 37. All participants in the incident were intoxicated. According to the investigation, prior to the fight, the Polish couple was drinking alcohol with one of the future suspects. The man with serious bodily injuries was hospitalized in a hospital in Kościerzyna, where he died on July 11. The woman sustained minor injuries and did not require hospitalization. The local prosecutor’s office has brought charges against the suspects for participating in a beating that resulted in grievous bodily harm and the death of the victim.
As Ukrinform reported, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine took note of the adoption by the Polish Sejm of another resolution on the occasion of the anniversary of the tragic events in Volhynia in 1943-1944.
Photo: OP