European Parliament referred to controversy surrounding UPA in resolution on Ukraine’s accession to EU
The European Parliament has backed Ukraine’s continued progress towards EU membership, but in its resolution it specifically mentioned the controversy surrounding the awarding of the honorary title ‘Heroes of the UPA’ to one of the units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces.
According to Censor.NET, this is mentioned in a statement by the European Parliament.
In the document, the MPs expressed regret that, in their view, the feelings and grief of the Polish side had not been taken into account when the elite unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was renamed.
"Members of the European Parliament express their regret at the disregard shown for the feelings and grief of the Polish side and consider that this decision undermines good-neighbourly relations, calling for de-escalation and a renewal of efforts in a spirit of goodwill with a view to reconciliation," the resolution states.
The amendment to the document was drafted by the European People’s Party. It forms part of a broader report by German MEP Michael Haller on Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership.
At the same time, the resolution commends the reforms Ukraine is implementing despite the full-scale war and reaffirms support for its European integration. The document was backed by 460 Members of the European Parliament, with 136 voting against and a further 59 abstaining. The resolution is advisory in nature and is not legally binding.
Following the vote, Michael Gahler stated that Ukraine had undergone far-reaching democratic reforms since 2014, and that Russia’s full-scale aggression had only accelerated this process. At the same time, he emphasised that, in order to make further progress towards the EU, Kyiv must continue with judicial reform and ensure that anti-corruption institutions operate independently:
"Since Ukraine embarked on its European path in 2014, the country has changed dramatically for the better. Russia’s war of aggression has even accelerated this process. At the same time, much remains to be done, particularly to meet the requirements of the first fundamental cluster of negotiations. The continuation of judicial reform and the unhindered operation of anti-corruption institutions remain key conditions for further progress towards EU membership and for meeting citizens’ expectations."
- It should be recalled that, at the end of May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the Independent Centre for Special Operations of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the honorary title of ‘Heroes of the UPA’. This decision drew criticism from Poland, where the subject of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains a matter of historical controversy.
