Search results

The institutionalization of the Polish movement in Ukraine, 1988–1991For a long time the Polish minority in Ukraine was unable to fulfill its religious, cultural, educational, and political needs because of the Soviet communist regime. All institutions were controlled by the Communist Party and state security organs. Nevertheless, the process of the rebirth of Polish institutions and organizations began in 1989 via the former channels of the communist apparatus which was prepared to allow limited concessions. Thus the process was from above and not from below, from the center to the periphery, according to the former command political system. It relied on former organisations, mostly Towarzystwo Łączności i Związków Kulturalnych z Zagranicą.However, the ethnic mobilization of the Polish minority in Ukraine proceeded faster than the equivalent process embracing the Ukrainians themselves, who fought also for sovereignty for the nation. The article describes in detail the phases of forming the Polish organizations for which Polskie Stowarzyszenie Kulturalno-Oświatowe was a precursor, and its forms of activity, later imitated by other social organizations, such as Polish language courses, festivals and competitions, folk dancing, travel to Poland.

The institutionalization of the Polish movement in Ukraine, 1988–1991For a long time the Polish minority in Ukraine was unable to fulfill its religious, cultural, educational, and political needs because of the Soviet communist regime. All institutions were controlled by the Communist Party and state security organs. Nevertheless, the process of the rebirth of Polish institutions and organizations began in 1989 via the former channels of the communist apparatus which was prepared to allow limited concessions. Thus the process was from above and not from below, from the center to the periphery, according to the former command political system. It relied on former organisations, mostly Towarzystwo Łączności i Związków Kulturalnych z Zagranicą.However, the ethnic mobilization of the Polish minority in Ukraine proceeded faster than the equivalent process embracing the Ukrainians themselves, who fought also for sovereignty for the nation. The article describes in detail the phases of forming the Polish organizations for which Polskie Stowarzyszenie Kulturalno-Oświatowe was a precursor, and its forms of activity, later imitated by other social organizations, such as Polish language courses, festivals and competitions, folk dancing, travel to Poland.

The political and legal conditions of realization of the interests of the Polish minority in modern Ukraine are under analysis, the attention is drawn to the non compliance in the Ukrainian legislation in this sphere. The fundamental civil, cultural and political rights of national minorities are submitted, the deficiency of the providing of Poles collective rights in Ukraine is emphasized. The realization of the Polish minority interests in modern Ukraine, which derives from the opportunities of Ukrainian legislation is shown. ; The political and legal conditions of realization of the interests of the Polish minority in modern Ukraine are under analysis, the attention is drawn to the non compliance in the Ukrainian legislation in this sphere. The fundamental civil, cultural and political rights of national minorities are submitted, the deficiency of the providing of Poles collective rights in Ukraine is emphasized. The realization of the Polish minority interests in modern Ukraine, which derives from the opportunities of Ukrainian legislation is shown.

Abstract
The article tries to analyze the participation and political representation of the Polish minority in Ukraine and the Ukrainian minority in Poland in the period 1990-2015. Its meaning stems from at least several reasons. Firstly, because the both states officially accepted national minorities after 1990, they have introduced institutional arrangements of protection of their rights and have signed the major international documents in this area. Secondly, because the process of adaptation of European standards of minority protection took place in both countries in the situation of deep democratic changes and market reforms. Hence, the question of the role of minority policy in this has emerged. Thirdly, because the both countries are linked to one another because of a shared common history that sometimes divides societies and public opinion in these states and the political activity of both groups can increase or diminish these socio-political divisions. In the case of the Polish minority in Ukraine this article draws attention to the lack of political representation at country level and its limited activity as the Polish group at the local level (based on the Zhytomyr example). On the other hand in the case of the Ukrainian minority in Poland the article highlights the process of gradual decline of its political activity on the country level (as a result of the spatial dispersion of this group and the absence of a political partner on the country political scene) while we may observe its political activity at the local level.