The Polish town of Sopot has adopted regulations to combat discrimination against Ukrainians

The City Council of Sopot, Poland, has adopted a resolution against the rise in anti-Ukrainian sentiment and hate speech. The city authorities have called on the national government to step up the fight against disinformation and xenophobia, emphasising the importance of maintaining public dialogue and mutual respect. Barbara Brzezińska, a Sopot City Councillor, announced the adoption of the resolution.

According to her, the local authorities believe that concrete action is needed at national level to counter the spread of negative stereotypes about Ukrainians and prevent the rise of nationalist sentiment.

In the resolution, the councillors emphasised that Sopot has for many years remained an open city, built on the principles of dialogue, cooperation and respect for people regardless of their origin.

The document sets out two main demands on the Polish central government.

The first is to launch a nationwide information campaign designed to highlight the actual role of Ukrainians in Polish society and the economy. In particular, the Sopot authorities propose using official statistics to demonstrate Ukrainians’ professional activity, their participation in the labour market and their contribution to the national budget through tax payments.

The second requirement is to resolutely oppose xenophobic and nationalist movements. City representatives stated that such sentiments are often fuelled by hostile external centres of influence interested in destabilising the situation within Poland.

A quote from the Polish journalist and public figure of the last century, Jerzy Giedroyc, features prominently in the resolution: “There can be no free Poland without a free Ukraine.”

Poland remains one of Ukraine’s key allies since the outbreak of full-scale war and is the European country that has taken in the largest number of Ukrainian refugees. However, the rise in anti-Ukrainian sentiment is causing concern both within Poland and beyond its borders.

Experts have previously noted that a potential mass exodus of Ukrainians could also have consequences for the Polish economy, as a significant proportion of Ukrainian citizens work in various sectors – from industry and construction to the service sector.