The Polish Institute of National Remembrance (INR) is prepared to start exhumation work in Volhynia within 24 hours, announced the head of the institution, Karol Nawrocki, on November 27.
At a press conference, Nawrocki emphasized that since 2017, the INR has been consistently striving for objective results in exhumations in the region. During this time, the institute has sent nine requests to the Ukrainian side, none of which have been approved.
Nawrocki stated that the institute has all the necessary resources — specialists and equipment — to promptly begin the work, provided official permission is granted by Ukraine. He also noted that the ongoing war in Ukraine would not hinder their efforts.
On Tuesday, Polish and Ukrainian foreign ministers Radosław Sikorski and Andriy Sybiha issued a joint statement on the exhumation issue. This topic remains a sensitive point in relations between the two countries. Poland has previously indicated that resolving historical disputes is one of the conditions for Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
In turn, the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance announced plans to include the search for the remains of Poles in the Rivne region in its 2025 program, responding to requests from Polish citizens.
