The President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, has recently signed into law the Act of May 15, 2024, which amends the existing legislation on assistance to Ukrainian citizens affected by the armed conflict taking place in their country. One of the most important changes brought about by this act is the elimination of the requirement for a work permit when it comes to employing legally residing Ukrainians in Poland.
However, some local government officials seem to be pushing beyond even this decision by the central authorities. The Municipal Social Welfare Center in Zgorzelec reports that the chairman of the Zgorzelec County Council, Andrzej Weychan, has proposed an initiative aimed at enabling legally residing Ukrainian immigrants to join the police service and participate in local elections for municipal authorities. This proposal, while seemingly forward-thinking, has drawn criticism from some Polish citizens who argue that foreigners should not be allowed to influence election results or vote with interests in mind that are not tied to the Polish nation.
Despite these criticisms, there is a group of Polish government officials and policymakers who believe that closer integration between Poland and Ukraine could be achieved by extending certain rights to Ukrainian citizens before they become Polish citizens. To support this claim, proponents have pointed to the examples of Romania and Moldova as positive cases where similar measures were implemented successfully. As a result, it has been suggested that service in the police force, army, and State Fire Service should also be made available to Ukrainians prior to obtaining Polish citizenship.
To make this vision a reality, however, some adjustments would need to be made to existing Polish law. One such change would involve amending Article 4 of the Civil Service Act, which currently stipulates that only European Union citizens or those from countries whose citizens have the right to work in Poland under international agreements can hold positions within the civil service. In order to accommodate Ukrainian citizens, an exception would need to be made for them within this law.
Additionally, it may be necessary to modify the Electoral Commission’s Resolution No. 26/2024 from January 23, 2024, which outlines the process for submitting candidates for membership in electoral commissions and sets forth other election-related rules. This change would allow Ukrainian citizens to participate in elections at various levels of local government.
Several high-ranking Polish officials have already expressed their support for this initiative, including Secretary of State Jacek Jerzy Tomczak from the Ministry of Development and Technology, Catholic University of Lublin Rector Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, and many others within the government hierarchy. Furthermore, Undersecretary of State Maciej Duszczyk in the Ministry of the Interior and Administration has announced that work is underway to draft an amendment to existing legislation and schedule a vote on it in the Sejm later this year.
