The Polish opposition party Confederation has criticized the government’s decision to include Ukrainian in the list of foreign languages for graduation exams, alleging it unfairly advantages Ukrainian students over their Polish peers.
Starting next year, students will be able to take the Matura exam in Ukrainian, a key requirement for university admission. The 2023 policy change was justified by the Warsaw government as a response to the “large influx of Ukrainian citizens” into Poland, citing growing interest in Ukraine’s language and culture. Over a million Ukrainian refugees have settled in Poland since the 2022 conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
The Confederation party, which holds 16 parliamentary seats, accused the government of favoring Ukrainian students in a Facebook statement, arguing that native speakers would score higher in their own language while Polish students learning Ukrainian face unfair competition. The party warned that 200,000 Ukrainian children currently enrolled in Polish schools would benefit from the policy.
The opposition labeled the move a “political decision” by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, claiming it fosters conditions for Ukrainians to establish an “alternative society” in Poland. It highlighted the presence of Ukrainian language in public spaces and called the policy a “fundamental mistake” with long-term consequences for Polish generations.
Recent legislation signed by President Karol Nawrocki also stripped jobless Ukrainian refugees of state financial support, reflecting broader tensions over resource allocation.
