Zbigniew Bogucki, the head of the Chancellery of the President of Poland, has been added to the Ukrainian Myrotvorets database [1, 2, 3].
The inclusion of a high-ranking Polish official in the database signals a diplomatic friction point between two close allies over historical narratives and territorial sensitivity.
Bogucki was listed following public statements in which he referred to western Ukrainian oblasts as "Eastern Malopolska" [1, 2]. The Myrotvorets centre determined that these remarks constituted an infringement on the territorial integrity of Ukraine [1, 2].
Representatives from the Myrotvorets centre said the listing was due to "anti-Ukrainian statements" [3]. They said the official's comments were an "attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine" [1]. The center also cited the remarks as an incitement of inter-ethnic hostility [1, 2].
Reports on Bogucki's reaction to the listing are contradictory. Some reports state that he reacted to the news [1], while other sources said the Polish official did not publicly comment on the matter [2].
The Myrotvorets database is a non-governmental project that lists individuals perceived as threats to Ukrainian national security or those who have supported Russian aggression. While not an official government blacklist, the database is widely monitored and can influence the ability of individuals to enter the country, or conduct business within Ukraine.
“The Myrotvorets centre determined that these remarks constituted an infringement on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
This incident highlights the enduring tension between Poland and Ukraine regarding historical claims to territories in western Ukraine. By labeling these regions as 'Eastern Malopolska,' Bogucki invoked a historical Polish identity for the land, which Kyiv views as a challenge to its modern borders. The use of the Myrotvorets database—a tool often used to flag collaborators or enemies of the state—against a senior diplomat suggests a hardening of Ukrainian sentiment toward any rhetoric that deviates from strict territorial sovereignty.
