The Eastern Cross is to be awarded by the President upon the motion of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to present the applications on his own initiative or on the initiative of veterans' associations and societies, social organizations, the head of the Office for Veterans' Affairs and individuals, after consulting the president of the Institute of National Remembrance. The person awarded the Cross is to receive, free of charge, the badge of the Cross awarded to him or her and a card. The Cross could be awarded posthumously.

Among other things, the Sejm adopted an amendment on Friday, according to which the law on the establishment of the Eastern Cross will enter into force six months after its publication in the Official Gazette. The original draft stipulated that the law would come into force on the date of publication.

The head of the Parliamentary Commission for Liaison with Poles Abroad, Michał Dworczyk (Law and Justice), said that the Eastern Cross is a decoration for foreigners who rescued Poles between 1937 and 1959.

As he noted, 1937 was the "Poland" operation carried out by the NKVD, the beginning of mass repressions that first hit Poles in the Soviet Union, and after September 17, 1939, also Poles living in the Eastern Borderlands. In turn, the year 1959 marked the end of the second repatriation of Poles from Kresy.

“Commemorating the people who, often risking their own lives, saved our compatriots is our moral duty; this is the duty of the Polish state. Their action was an act of courage, an example of Christian mercy and humanity in those inhuman times,” emphasized Dworczyk.

As he noted, by establishing this decoration, the Polish state will honor people who made a heroic effort and helped our compatriots in those tragic moments. "This decoration will remind not only Poles, but also nations in the East that we Poles remember that we are grateful for the help shown to each of our compatriots," said the PiS MP.

He emphasized that the award will also prove that "Poles are able to remember the dramatic history without hatred, without using collective responsibility and blaming entire nations and communities for the crimes."

“By establishing the Eastern Cross, we recall not only these dramatic events, but we also recall the history and heritage of the Eastern Borderlands of the First and Second Polish Republic. It is very important, it is part of our Polish identity,” said Dworczyk. As he added, the establishment of the Eastern Cross will also be “an important tool for conducting historical policy.

text: rp.pl