Lawmakers from the Czech governing party SPD (Freedom and Direct Democracy) have followed Poland’s example by calling for Ukrainian President Vladymyr Zelensky to be stripped of the Order of the White Lion, the Czech Republic’s highest state decoration.
The MPs have submitted their request to Czech President Petr Pavel, who holds the authority to revoke state honors.
According to the lawmakers, the appeal was prompted by Zelensky’s decision to grant one of Ukraine’s military units the honorary title “Heroes of the UPA.” Similar to Poland, some Czech politicians argue that the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) remains associated with historical violence. They note that UPA units continued armed operations after the end of World War II and clashed with Czechoslovak security forces until 1947.
Commenting on Poland’s decision regarding Zelensky, SPD lawmaker Jindřich Rajchl said it had received support from members of both the governing coalition and the opposition, as well as former Polish President Lech Wałęsa. He expressed hope that a similar initiative would gain backing in the Czech Republic.
However, the political situation in the Czech Republic differs significantly from that in Poland. While SPD has framed the issue as one of historical memory, there is no broad national consensus on the matter. President Petr Pavel, to whom the appeal has been addressed, has consistently maintained his support for Ukraine and its government, making it uncertain whether the proposal will receive any official consideration.
