Kozitsky: Resolution on 2027 as the Year of the UPA in Lviv not signed

Resolution of the Lviv Regional Council still unsigned

The decision to declare 2027 the Year of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and its commander Roman Shukhevych in Lviv currently has no legal force. Head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration Maksym Kozitsky stated this in a letter to the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship of Poland, Wojciech Sałusa.

«Хочу зазначити, що постанова Львівської обласної ради, згадана у вашому зверненні, досі не підписана і не набула чинності. Переконаний, що рішення органів влади будь-якого рівня мають враховувати зовнішньополітичні інтереси України та добросусідські відносини з Республікою Польща» (I would like to note that the resolution of the Lviv Regional Council mentioned in your appeal has not yet been signed and has not entered into force. I am convinced that decisions of authorities at any level must take into account Ukraine's foreign policy interests and good-neighbourly relations with the Republic of Poland), Kozitsky emphasised.

Who must sign the document

According to the press service of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, for the resolution to acquire legal force, it must be signed by Yuriy Kholod, the acting head of the Lviv Regional Council. At the time of Kozitsky's statement publication, this procedure had not been completed.

Context of the decision and neighbours' reaction

On 20 October, deputies of the Lviv Regional Council adopted a decision to declare 2027 the Year of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, its commander Roman Shukhevych, and OUN activist Oleh Oliizhych.

This initiative triggered a sharp wave of criticism in Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "very dissatisfied" with the decision of the Lviv deputies and made it clear that he would not support it. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Presidential Office also criticised the resolution, emphasising that it harms relations between Ukraine and Poland.