A total of 321 members of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada parliament voted in favour of a presidential bill to award "special status" to Poles in Ukraine, Polish website tvp.info reported, citing the Ukrainian Pravda news outlet.
The vote came after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted the legislation to parliament last week, according to a report by Polish news agency PAP.
His aides were quoted as saying at the time that the bill aimed to grant “legal and social guarantees to Polish citizens staying in the territory of Ukraine” and represented "a mark of gratitude to the Polish nation for the solidarity and support extended to Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion."
Under the bill, Poles will enjoy special rights and guarantees in Ukraine, similar to those Poland has granted to Ukrainians fleeing Vladimir Putin's war, according to officials.
For example, Polish citizens will be allowed to stay legally in Ukraine for 18 months and will also be able to work, do business, study, use healthcare services and claim certain social benefits in Ukraine, reporters were told.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said last Monday that Zelensky’s bill represented “a symbolic invitation" and offered "special treatment” to Polish citizens in Ukraine.
Tuesday was day 146 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(gs)
Source: tvp.info