(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, OCT 13 - The Polish ultra-nationalist
Confederation party is polling at no more than 10 percent but
may soon play the role of kingmaker -- and get a say on Warsaw
policy on already strained ties with Ukraine. The far-right
party held one of its final pre-election rallies in Lublin -- a
city in eastern Poland that is home to at least 60,000
Ukrainians -- where it sought to win support by pledging a veto
on sending aid to its war-torn neighbour. Many of the
participants were already convinced that the help flowing from
Warsaw to Kyiv is too generous. "Too many weapons, too much
money went to Ukraine... Putting Ukraine above Poland is
unacceptable to me," Igor Malinowski, a student from Lublin,
told AFP. As he waited in Lublin's central square to hear the
Confederation leaders speak, the 18-year-old added that he did
support helping Ukrainian refugees. "These people need help.
They have nowhere to go. I have friends from Ukraine. I know
what they are going through," Malinowski said. The populists of
the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS) are set to
fall short of a governing majority in Sunday's election and
Confederation is seen as their most probable coalition partner.
"We are in favour of helping Ukraine but on certain conditions.
It can't be giving it all with nothing in return," said Wojciech
Rachon, a 21-year-old. "I agree with banning grain imports from
Ukraine and ending the social benefits for Ukrainians," Rachon
told AFP.
In Sunday's election, Confederation will compete to emerge as
the new parliament's third biggest party and is widely seen as
the only possible coalition partner for the socially
conservative PiS. Confederation leaders have so far publicly
ruled out a formal alliance with PiS -- but have suggested they
would try to influence its policies. (ANSA-AFP).
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
