Kosiniak-Kamysz in Volhynia: Exhumations Are a Matter of Utmost Importance for Poland

Marking the 83rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz traveled to Ołyka, Ukraine, to honor victims of nationalist violence and stress that truth and exhumations are essential for reconciliation.

A Tribute to the Victims

On the 83rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz visited Ołyka in the Volhynia region to pay tribute to the victims of Ukrainian nationalists. The Defense Minister noted that Bishop Vitaliy Skomarovsky has organized memorial services there for years. Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that the victims cry out for memory and truth rather than revenge.

Truth, Commemoration, and Forgiveness

During the ceremony, the Minister stated that a positive future requires three inseparable values: truth, commemoration, and forgiveness. He argued that the current need for exhumations and dignified burials is a matter of utmost importance for Poland, as these actions are necessary to achieve full forgiveness and prevent the cycle of hatred.

Reflections on Friendship and Responsibility

The Minister suggested adding a commandment to the current moral framework: do not cause pain and do not glorify those who inflict suffering on friends. Polish charge d’affaires in Ukraine, Piotr Łukasiewicz, accompanied the Minister, remarking that acknowledging the violence of the past helps modern nations build a more noble and unified future.

Commemorations Across Poland

National Day of Remembrance for the Polish Victims of the OUN and UPA is being observed across Poland, including memorial masses and wreath-laying ceremonies in Warsaw. Similar patriotic events, historical exhibitions, and educational meetings are taking place in numerous cities, including Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Kraków, and Wrocław.