Former Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski stated that a possible departure of 1.5 million Ukrainians from Poland could seriously hit the Polish economy, the service sector, healthcare, elderly care, and construction. He said this in an interview with the weekly Polityka, reports UNN citing WP Wiadomości.
Details
According to Kwaśniewski, a "very loud anti-Ukrainian direction" is currently noticeable in Poland. He noted that part of Polish society has already become accustomed to the war in Ukraine, and certain high-profile incidents involving Ukrainians cause irritation.
Among such examples, the former president mentioned the incident with a Ukrainian influencer who drove a car into Lake Morskie Oko.
Kwaśniewski also stated that for some politicians, using anti-Ukrainian rhetoric has become a convenient tool.
"Here is my warning for the major parties, which should still behave sensibly, that is, not enter this model. I am speaking to both the democratic coalition and PiS,"
The former president emphasized that Ukrainians living in Poland are an important resource for the country amid the demographic crisis.
"1.5 million Ukrainians is a gift. It is the greatest support for the Polish economy in a situation of a deep demographic crisis and, at the same time, the absence of a migration policy concept,"
He warned that a victory of anti-Ukrainian forces in Poland and a possible mass exodus of Ukrainians would have serious consequences for the country.
"If anti-Ukrainian forces in Poland were to win and lead to an exodus of these 1.5 million, some would return home, others would leave for the West, because that is probably how it would look, then the state of Polish services, healthcare, elderly care, and construction would collapse. Then we can already feel sorry for ourselves for the future,"
Kwaśniewski added that the topic of Ukraine is not simple for Polish politics, but it needs to be discussed, including at the level of working groups. According to him, in the near future, Poland may face issues more complex than the topic of exhumations and historical disputes. Among them, he mentioned, in particular, the process of Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
Context
According to PAP, citing the Office for Foreigners, as of March 31, 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens held a valid document granting the right to stay in Poland.
Recall
In Poland, the number of applications for international protection decreased by 66% over the year, which was the largest drop among EU countries. At the same time, Ukrainians remain the largest group of applicants, but most decisions regarding them are negative.