Ukrainian MP Criticizes Nawrocki’s Decision to Strip Zelenskyy of Order
Ukrainian lawmaker Mykola Kniazhytsky has publicly condemned Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle, claiming the move aims to sabotage an...
Ukrainian lawmaker Mykola Kniazhytsky has publicly condemned Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle, claiming the move aims to sabotage an upcoming summit in Gdańsk.
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The Revocation of the Order
On Friday, June 19, Karol Nawrocki announced his decision to strip President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. In a social media statement, Nawrocki asserted that this action is not directed against the Ukrainian people and does not signify a shift in Poland’s strategic security policy, emphasizing that support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia remains unchanged.
Nawrocki justified the move by citing President Zelenskyy’s approval of naming a Ukrainian Armed Forces unit after UPA heroes. He stated that as the Grand Master of the Order, he holds a duty to guard the honor of the state decoration and made the decision following consultations with the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle.
Legal Discrepancies Regarding the Decision
The Polish Constitution stipulates that presidential acts generally require a prime minister’s countersignature to be valid, with 30 specific exceptions. While the law clearly exempts the granting of orders from this requirement, it remains ambiguous as to whether the revocation of such honors similarly bypasses the need for countersignature.
Accusations of Political Sabotage
Mykola Kniazhytsky, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and co-chair of the Polish-Ukrainian parliamentary group, slammed the move as a reflection of Nawrocki’s true attitude toward Ukraine. Kniazhytsky, a member of the opposition European Solidarity party, argued that the decision was a calculated attempt to prevent President Zelenskyy from attending the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk next week.
Kniazhytsky stated that the goal is to torpedo the president’s visit while European leaders are in attendance. He expressed hope that such attempts to favor the aggressor under the guise of anti-Russian rhetoric would fail. He further criticized Nawrocki for never having visited Ukraine and urged responsible elites to remain focused on a common European future.