In a statement to the Polish Press Agency (PAP) on Saturday, Nadzhos confirmed that both countries are working towards finding solutions that will satisfy both Polish and Ukrainian societies.
Poland’s culture minister Hanna Wróblewska also acknowledged the progress, stating that a joint Polish-Ukrainian working group is addressing the matter and will first share details with involved stakeholders.
"The initial updates will be provided to the concerned parties and organizations," Wróblewska noted, expressing her appreciation for Ukrainian culture minister Mykola Tochitskyi’s support in authorizing the exhumations.
On Friday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced via social media that the first exhumations of Polish victims of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2025.
Tusk expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of both countries' culture ministries in advancing this sensitive initiative.
The issue of exhumations has been a source of tension between Warsaw and Kyiv since 2017, when Ukraine imposed a moratorium on the search for Polish war victims following the dismantling of a UPA monument in Hroszowice, southeastern Poland.
The moratorium was lifted in late November 2024 during a joint press conference by Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski and his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha, marking a critical breakthrough in the dispute.
Exhumations in Volhynia, one of the key regions affected by the historical conflict, are expected to begin in the spring of 2025 after the signing of the necessary agreements.
Both governments have reiterated their commitment to handling this issue with care, emphasizing mutual respect and sensitivity.
The Volhynia Massacre refers to a series of tragic events during World War II when tens of thousands of Polish civilians were killed by Ukrainian nationalists in the regions of Volhynia and Eastern Galicia.
Poland's Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) reports that, based on historical research, more than 120,000 Poles were killed by Ukrainian nationalists between 1939 and 1947, classifying these actions as genocide.
This historical wound has long strained relations between Poland and Ukraine.
(ał)
Source: PAP, IAR