Polish Notariat Supporting Ukraine

The armed aggression against sovereign and independent Ukraine has shaken the entire civilised world. Faced with war caused by Russia, countries are seeking to provide help by all available means. Polish notaries alike – both at the level of their professional association and individually – are offering support to the Ukrainian people, who have found themselves in this tragic situation.

 

Poland as a neighbouring state, where many Ukrainians had settled permanently or temporarily already before the war, and which welcomed more than one million Ukrainian citizens (with a greater number being anticipated), has come to play a special role in providing the broadest possible support. This support extends also to advice in legal matters, which is provided by representatives of all Polish associations of legal professionals. 

Shortly after the war broke out, the Polish National Council of Notaries has called upon all notaries to provide comprehensive assistance to the Ukrainian citizens, notably by rendering the notarial services necessary to complete the formalities related to entering Poland and their stay in our country as well as to performing work or continuing education on the Polish territory, as swiftly and as friendly as possible. In addition, the Polish Council of Notaries organized a fundraising campaign – over two weeks more than PLN 530 000 were raised (approx. EUR 120 000). The amount, which surpassed the organizer’s expectations, will be entrusted to professional organizations providing aid to those Ukrainian refugees who found shelter in Poland as well as to organizations providing humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people who stayed in their country torn by war atrocities. 

The activities of the Polish National Council of Notaries at international level 

Polish Council’s involvement in actions undertaken by organisations associating European notariats is an important expression of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. One of the examples in this regard is an appeal of the Council’s president, Mr. Lech Borzemski, addressed to the president of the Council of the Notariats of the EU (CNUE) that the organisation express its support for the Ukraine’s fight with the Russian aggressor and call upon the EU institutions to provide comprehensive aid to Ukraine as well as to impose all possible sanctions on Russia. 

According to Mr. Borzemski: “Speaking up for Ukraine is a clear statement of European values, democracy, human rights and respect for everyone. After all, we serve these values as notaries. It is only if these values are met that we can pursue our vocation properly.” 

In response to the said appeal, the CNUE has adopted a resolution concerning Ukraine, in which 22 presidents of the CNUE member notariats expressed their support for unprecedented European and international reaction, including the support for the internal compliance with the sanctions imposed by the European Union. In addition, the Ukrainian Chamber of Notaries has been solemnly granted the observer status. 

The Polish National Council of Notaries has also become involved in actions undertaken by a crisis unit created following the extraordinary session of the CNUE General Assembly on 1 March 2022. The aim of the unit is to provide support to the Ukrainian notariat and people. In the course of its meetings, in which a representative of the Polish notariat also participates, a roadmap listing the activities in support of Ukraine has been adopted, which includes, inter alia, the following elements: financial aid, providing shelter to Ukrainian refugees, material aid to be provided via the neighbouring countries as well as the notarial aid and information addressed to practitioners and citizens. 

The Polish National Council of Notaries carefully follows the situation in the war-torn Ukraine as well as the situation of the Ukrainian refugees in Poland in order to adjust legal and financial means to the current needs of the Ukrainians.