Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Distances Itself from Lviv Mayor
The Polish Foreign Ministry has clarified that Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi was not invited to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, following public friction over an unpaid debt to a Polish firm....
The Polish Foreign Ministry has clarified that Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi was not invited to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, following public friction over an unpaid debt to a Polish firm.
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Lviv’s Separate Event in Gdańsk
Andriy Sadovyi hosted the “Lviv Resilience Day” on June 24 at AmberExpo in Gdańsk, highlighting infrastructure and education deals with various international partners. Sadovyi claimed the event allowed for discussions on Ukraine’s future, despite excluding Polish government entities from the partnership list.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wiewiór clarified that Sadovyi’s event was entirely separate from the official Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC26). Wiewiór emphasized that the mayor was not invited to the official conference and criticized the Lviv authorities for ignoring international arbitration regarding a Polish contractor.
The Dispute Over Control Process
The tension centers on a contract between Lviv authorities and the Polish firm Control Process for the construction of a waste processing facility. The project, valued at approximately 30 million euros, has stalled, with the city terminating the contract and alleging two years of delays.
Control Process contends that its access to the site was blocked and that it is owed 17 million euros. An arbitration process, initiated by both parties, reportedly ruled in favor of the company, stating that the unilateral contract termination was unlawful. The city has yet to comply with the arbitration findings.
Political Fallout and Kaczyński’s Response
Law and Justice (PiS) leader Jarosław Kaczyński announced he would return his Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, awarded by Ukraine in 2022, as a sign of his dissatisfaction with the Ukrainian elite. Kaczyński publicly criticized Mayor Sadovyi, accusing him of bad faith in his dealings with the Polish contractor.
Kaczyński stated that the presence of the Lviv mayor at the recovery events served as a negative demonstration of current Polish-Ukrainian relations. He warned that the ongoing conflict in the region is being escalated, cautioning against maintaining illusions regarding the treatment of Polish businesses.