Political rhetoric across Europe targets Ukrainian aid and immigration, often fueled by misinformation despite economic contributions.
🔗 Read the article on wyborcza.pl
[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]
Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed an amendment to the law on aid for Ukrainian citizens because he demanded that benefits be restricted to Ukrainians working and paying taxes in Poland, citing a “Poland first” principle. Despite this, reports indicate that 78% of Ukrainian residents in Poland are employed, contributing significantly to the budget and GDP while costing only a small amount in social benefits. This sentiment mirrors demands from far-right politicians in other European countries. In Czechia, figures like Andrej Babisz and Tomio Okamura are using anti-Ukrainian rhetoric during elections, criticizing government support for Ukrainian families. Populists in Czech society promote myths that Ukrainians receive preferential treatment or that they are too wealthy to need aid. However, data shows many Ukrainians work without receiving benefits, and the economic contribution of Ukrainian refugees is positive for the Czech economy. In Hungary, Viktor Orbán’s government has campaigned against Ukraine joining the EU, claiming it would harm Hungarian citizens economically. Meanwhile, in Romania, public opinion regarding Ukrainian immigrants is shifting, with a decrease in support for Russia withdrawing from Ukraine and an increase in willingness to concede occupied territories.
