A meeting between Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and representatives of non-governmental organisations involved in aid and volunteering for Ukraine
24.04.2023
The event was held at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and was also attended by Minister Agnieszka Ścigaj and Deputy Minister Paweł Szefernaker. The Head of Government thanked all volunteers, non-governmental activists and organisations for the great help they have been providing to Ukrainians since the very beginning of the brutal Russian invasion of their country. The Prime Minister also stressed that NGOs can count on financial support from the state budget.
Solidarity is a fundamental value for Poles
The Russian invasion of Ukraine brought with it a great deal of tragedy and largely affected the civilian population. Millions of Ukrainian women and children in particular have had to flee from the war. They abandoned their homes in search of a safe haven. They found it primarily in Poland.
Our country welcomed them with open arms and offered help. Millions of Poles - our citizens who were not indifferent to the fate of others - showed their solidarity. It is precisely such people that non-governmental organisations bring together. NGOs build a framework for providing assistance, support grassroots initiatives and keep forces and resources available for socially important issues. This actions proved crucial when our entire nation focused on helping Ukraine. We have proven that solidarity is a true value for us, and for this we receive recognition from around the world today.
Joint assistance for Ukraine and millions of refugees
Faced with the immense challenge of war across our eastern border, we mobilised resources and means to bring aid to where it is needed most. NGOs and volunteers stood on the front line. As a government, we support them in the following ways:
- we have made it more flexible for public benefit organisations to carry out activities with budgetary funds;
- we have made it easier to apply for funding;
- we offered additional resources and tools to facilitate the provision of aid to those in need.
We are delighted that together we have been able to achieve so much, at such a difficult time.
Government cooperation with NGOs
Civil society and NGO activism are the pillars of democracy. That is why, already in 2017, we decided to formally consolidate the government's cooperation with NGOs. We created the Public Benefit Committee and the National Freedom Institute - Centre for Civil Society Development. Through these institutions, we actively support grassroots social initiatives. Never before has cooperation between the state and civil society been so close.
