Poland is one of the EU countries that is suffering major consequences due to the conflict in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the Russian intervention in Ukraine at the end of February this year, a large number of Ukrainians have gone to Poland to find safety there and escape the war. At first, the majority of Polish citizens had great empathy for the Ukrainian refugees, but when the situation began to strain the system in Ukraine, the circumstances changed.<\/span><\/p>\n
The situation is similar in other European countries, whose citizens feel insecure because of the current energy crisis that burdens the entire economy, and social assistance for refugees from Ukraine creates large expenses that put additional pressure on budgets.<\/span><\/p>\n
Many refugees from Ukraine (not all, of course) are not ready to seek employment in the countries where they have taken refuge, but intend to live on the social assistance they receive. Additional problems are created by language barriers and lifestyle habits that prevent Ukrainian refugees from integrating into a new environment. This creates dissatisfaction both among Ukrainian refugees and among their hosts.<\/span><\/p>\n
However, according to the data<\/a> of the director of the Warsaw \u201eCenter for Monitoring Racism and Xenophobia\u201c, Konrad Dulkowski, hundreds of verbal and psychological attacks on Ukrainian refugees have been recorded in recent months in Poland, with a tendency for such cases to increase. It is about conflict with neighbors, damage to cars with Ukrainian license plates, as well as writing hate messages in public places. Poland, with a population of 38 million, was not burdened with refugees like some other EU countries decades ago, and now it has actually turned into a center for one of the largest refugee populations in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n
According<\/a> to Polish authors Slavomir Sierakovski and Przemislav Sadur, they claim the following: \u201eWe have a problem, and a serious one. In the public sphere, there is a belief that Poles are full of good will towards Ukrainians. We managed to distribute medals for this, we accept thanks from Ukraine, and this is no longer true. This was certainly the case in the first months when we responded sympathetically to the outbreak of war and Russian violence. The fear of Russia, which is a strong factor in integrating Poles and Ukrainians, also played its part, regardless of sentiment. Unfortunately, sympathy is no longer the dominant feeling among Poles\u201c.<\/span><\/p>\n
In addition to allocations for the social and health needs of Ukrainian refugees, Poland will also have to allocate funds for their education. So far, funds have already been spent on opening new reception centers, due to increased demand. According<\/a> to the projections of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Poland will spend 8.4 billion euros on supporting Ukrainian refugees in 2022. The report also mentions that Poland is one of the EU countries \u201etaking the first steps towards phasing out temporary protection\u201c by offering a path that allows Ukrainian refugees to obtain three-year residence permits. Germany\u2019s total bill will come to around \u20ac6.8 billion, followed by the Czech Republic with around \u20ac1.96 billion. Spain and Romania are also likely to have costs over \u20ac1 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n
German society\u2019s support for aid to Ukraine has also reached a critical stage. According<\/a> to Deutsche Welle: \u201eWelcome culture\u201c runs into resource realities: Already short-staffed and stretched thin, regional officials around Germany say their refugee efforts are getting to be too much.<\/span><\/p>\n
The biggest burden, as in Poland, fell on local budgets, since the federal authorities reimburse the costs of accommodation, but not the costs of health services and education. One of the German cities not far from Berlin, which received a large number of Ukrainian refugees, is in a critical situation. The management of the city of Cottbus recently announced that it will no longer accept Ukrainian refugees, without a fairer resettlement policy. Namely, they believe that Ukrainian refugees should go to those regions that have larger budgets, especially in Western Germany. This actually created a conflict at the regional level in Germany due to unclear instructions from the federal authorities. This problem exists in general and at the EU level, since Poland and Germany each received over a million Ukrainian refugees, while France, the second largest EU country, received only 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. As in Poland and Germany, the population expresses open intolerance towards Ukrainian refugees. In June of this year, the German Center for Research on Integration and Migration conducted the results<\/a> of a survey of the public, entitled \u201eRacist reality \u2014 how Germany deals with racism.\u201c They came to the conclusion that this phenomenon is widespread in German society with a tendency to increase.<\/span><\/p>\n
At the end of October, in a German village of Gross Stroemkendorf in the east of this country, a fire was set in a hotel where Ukrainian refugees were staying. Investigative authorities are determining the details<\/a> of this case and claim that it is possible that it was a politically motivated attack.<\/span><\/p>\n
January 8, 2023<\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/poland\/refugees-ukraine-poland-profiling-update-september-2022-enpl#:~:text=More%20than%207.4%20million%20refugees,number%20among%20the%20EU%20countries<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/bulgaria.postsen.com\/world\/85053\/not-all-Poles-welcome-Ukrainians-with-open-arms.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/wiadomosci.onet.pl\/kraj\/polacy-za-ukraina-ale-przeciw-ukraincom-raport-z-badan-socjologicznych\/4bj4lsw<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/notesfrompoland.com\/2022\/10\/14\/poland-to-spend-e8-4bn-supporting-ukraine-refugees-in-2022-highest-in-oecd\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/poland\/food-medical-attention-safe-haven-poland-responds-ukraine-crisis-emphasis-physical-and<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.intereconomics.eu\/contents\/year\/2022\/number\/3\/article\/the-war-in-ukraine-and-migration-to-poland-outlook-and-challenges.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/news\/press-release\/2022\/10\/04\/polish-economy-to-slow-down-sharply-as-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-impedes-post-pandemic-recovery-in-europe<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/balkaninsight.com\/2022\/03\/03\/selective-sympathy-polands-contrasting-treatment-of-those-seeking-refuge\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/ukraine-hub\/policy-responses\/the-potential-contribution-of-ukrainian-refugees-to-the-labour-force-in-european-host-countries-e88a6a55\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/ukrainian-refugees-push-german-cities-to-their-limits\/a-63582661<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.rferl.org\/a\/ukraine-refugees-germany-shelter-arson\/32093571.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/racism-in-germany-is-part-of-everyday-life\/a-61700339<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"