Polish law on compensation of 50,000 zł

The Sejm of the Republic of Poland is considering a draft law on a one-time compensation of 50,000 zlotys for families of victims and those affected by actions of anti-communist underground formations in 1945–1946. It is stated that the payments will compensate for the consequences of repressions, particularly incidents committed by the unit of Romuald Rajs, which caused events in January 1946 recognized as genocide by the Institute of National Remembrance of Poland. During hearings, lawmakers from the "PiS" party expressed concerns that the bill could become a vehicle for "communist propaganda" and voiced doubts about Poland's responsibility for past crimes. One deputy from the Podlaskie Voivodeship, Dariusz Piontkowski, noted that compensation should not be provided upon request of Polish citizens, emphasizing that the issue relates to historical responsibility. The official position is that compensation could imply recognition of Poland's responsibility for the repressions, yet questions regarding the legal form and amount of payments continue to cause disagreements in parliament.

Context

The events mentioned in the bill date back to January 1946, when the unit of Romuald Rajs, operating as part of anti-communist underground activities, led to the killing of 79 Belarusian citizens, including women and children. These incidents, recognized as genocide, have become the subject of historical disputes and public attention.