According to conservative estimates, Polish support for Ukrainians and Ukraine may be worth as much as PLN 40 billion, reports “Rzeczpospolita” and adds that PLN 15.9 billion of this is public aid.

Only private support in the first three months after the outbreak of war is estimated at PLN 9-10 billion, and by today this amount has grown by another several billion. Military aid amounts to at least PLN 8.5 billion. “Rzeczpospolita” based its calculations on data from the Polish Economic Institute (PIE).

“In our estimates, we took into account the value of money transferred to refugees in the form of direct transfers or participation in public collections, as well as the value of items and articles purchased for refugees, the value of accommodation and food offered to refugees, and the value of other forms of support”, says Agnieszka Wincewicz-Price of PIE.

In the first instance the burden of assistance was borne by ordinary citizens. It is estimated that 77 % of Poles were more or less involved in helping the refugees. As many as 7 % took them in in their own homes. The number of residents in many cities and towns increased by ten or even several dozen per cent.

Ukrainians were also supported by local authorities, which organised help centres, medical and psychological care, places in schools and kindergartens. It was not only the largest cities, such as Warsaw, Wrocław, Krakow and Łódź, but also smaller towns that took on this enormous challenge.

“Rzeczpospolita” recalled that the Polish government has prepared a special law that legalises the stay of Ukrainians in Poland, allows them to take up employment, obtain free medical assistance, care and education for children, in addition to financial support, also for those who have received refugees in their homes and flats. State-owned companies have joined in the humanitarian and financial assistance.

Adrian Andrzejewski