In Poland, 14 people returned state decorations to President Nawrocki — Interia

In Poland, 14 people returned state decorations they had received during the first year of Karol Nawrocki’s presidency. This was reported by Interia, citing data from the Presidential Chancellery provided to Gazeta.pl.

Which awards were returned

According to the Chancellery, these were various decorations awarded between 1984 and 2026. They included the Orders of Polonia Restituta and Merit of the Republic of Poland, the Cross of Merit, the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity, the Medal for Long Service, and the Iraq Star of various classes and grades.

The Chancellery noted that the awards were returned for different reasons. Some people attached letters explaining their decision, while others did not state their motives. Returning a decoration has no legal consequences, so these people formally continue to be considered award recipients.

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Protests over Zelenskyy’s decoration

As Interia writes, five Ukrainian officials returned Polish awards in protest against Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They are former Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroisman, Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, and Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov.

Decorations were also returned by a woman awarded the Bronze Cross of Merit, a man holding the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity, an actor with the Silver Cross of Merit, and a historian and opposition activist from the era of the Polish People’s Republic. Gazeta.pl did not disclose their names.

Former MP Piotr Fogler, who said in June that he intended to return the Golden Cross of Merit, ultimately did not do so. At the same time, reserve lieutenant colonel Maciej Moric sent the president a U.S. decoration for participation in a NATO mission in Afghanistan. The Chancellery returned it and said that it was neither a Polish state award nor a presidential decoration and should be returned to the Office of the NATO Secretary General.