„The members of Open Republic Association spoke many times for providing help to refugees, for Poland’s active contribution in solution of this major European problem. This should be expected from a society free from prejudice, tolerant, defending human dignity which we have been trying to form in Poland for nearly twenty years. (…) This is why we cannot stay silent when public space is flooded by false information on refugees, and their dramatic fate is subject to political calculations.

We are sickened that the current Polish government refuses to take even the minimal steps to help refugees, which the previous government declared to take. This is why we were surprised and shocked the recent statement by Grzegorz Schetyna, who said about refugees “I am for their not coming to Poland”. The leader of the Civic Platform, and the head of PO parliamentary club made us painfully aware how far Polish policy is from humanist values. (…) And this is why we were full of respect for Władysław Frasyniuk, the legend of the first Solidarity for what he said, and for Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, the former Prime Minister of the Polish government.

We want to stress once again that human fate, especially the most tragic one, cannot be subject to political bargaining or the reason for denying values, on which public life should be built, i.e. humanism, human solidarity and, first of all, sense of decency. This is what we appeal for, joining Władysław Frasyniuk and Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz’s statements, to representatives of Polish political class” – we write in the statement signed by Paula Sawicka – the Chairwoman of the Program Board of our Association and Marek Gumkowski – President of our Management Board.