Director of the Ukrainian National Remembrance Institute Volodymyr Viatrovych has said that the law adopted by the Senate of Poland on the Institute of National Remembrance, which foresees punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists," is directed primarily against Ukrainians residing in Poland and is supported by pro-Russian forces.

"A new law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which was approved yesterday by the Senate of Poland, is directed primarily against Ukrainians who now live in this country," Viatrovych wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

At the same time, he cited the substantiation of the adopted law: "Taking into account growing migration movements from Ukraine, when the bearers of the ideology of Ukrainian nationalism and the adherents of a worldview based on the glorification of genocidal formations are increasingly represented in Poland, which also leads to tension in Polish-Ukrainian relations."

He also noted that the law is positively perceived by pro-Russian forces, which may indicate support for them by Polish politicians.

"The next piece of the text is no less interesting - it turns out that the law is aimed at normalizing international relations (it has already done it - evidence of the reaction of Ukraine, Israel, the United States) and supporting 'truly democratic communities in Ukraine.' Taking into account that in Ukraine this law is positive perceived by exclusively pro-Russian forces, it becomes clear who Polish politicians are going to support," Viatrovych wrote.

As reported, the Senate of Poland adopted early on Thursday without any amendments the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which foresees, in particular, punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists."

A report posted on Polskie Radio's website on February 1 notes that the Senate supported amendments to the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which impose fines or imprisonment for up to three years for "sharing responsibility before the Polish people or the state, including for crimes committed by the Third Reich."

The bill was supported by 57 senators, mainly from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) Party, 23 voted against the document, and two abstained.

The law will come into force after signing by Polish President Andrzej Duda.

On January 31, three commissions of the Polish Senate supported the bill.

On January 26, the package of bills passed by the Polish Sejm, which provides for changes to the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, was passed at third reading. Among them there was a bill banning "Bandera ideology" in Poland.

The document concerns the definition of crimes of Ukrainian nationalists and Ukrainian organizations cooperating with the Third Reich, as well as the possibility of launching, in accordance with Article 55 of the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, criminal proceedings against persons who deny these crimes.

There is a fine or imprisonment for up to three years for the denial of "Bandera supporters' crimes."