Presiden Zelensky submits bill on legal and social guarantees for Polish citizens in Ukraine and confers the honorary title of the Rescuer City upon Przemyśl

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law “On establishing legal and social guarantees for citizens of the Republic of Poland in the territory of Ukraine.”

As a sign of gratitude to the Polish people for their solidarity and support of Ukraine in the face of full-scale armed aggression by Russia and taking into account the principle of reciprocity, the draft law provides for the establishment of rights and guarantees for Polish citizens residing in Ukraine similar to those established in the Law of the Republic of Poland “On assistance to the citizens of Ukraine due to the armed conflict on the territory of this country” adopted on March 12, 2022.

The draft law developed at the initiative of the Head of State envisages, in particular, granting Polish citizens and their family members the possibility of legal stay on the territory of Ukraine for 18 months from the date of adoption of the law. Poles will also receive the right to employment, economic activity, study in educational institutions, medical care on the territory of Ukraine and separate social benefits in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.

In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 484/2022 on conferring the honorary title of the Rescuer City upon the Polish city of Przemyśl.

The award honors the unprecedented solidarity of the local authorities, residents and volunteers of Przemyśl with the Ukrainian people, comprehensive large-scale assistance to citizens of Ukraine who were forced to leave their homeland as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, as well as significant support for Ukraine in the defense of its independence and sovereignty.

Przemyśl became the second city, after Polish Rzeszów, to receive this honorary title.