The donation agreement was signed by Bolesławiec mayor Piotr Roman in the presence of Bolesławiec City Council chairman Józef Pokładek and Zbarazh mayor Roman Polikrowski, who was accompanied by his deputy Włodimir Bogajczuk.
The bus was donated for purposes related to meeting the social needs of the Zbarazh Urban Territorial Hromada, including the needs of internally displaced persons and victims of the effects of warfare on the territory of Ukraine.
Along with the bus, essential equipment and items requested by the Ukrainian side were provided. They were collected in a drive coordinated by Bolesławiec City Hall in cooperation with the Municipal Social Welfare Centre. The local government said: – The donations came from individual residents, companies, organisations, associations, offices, institutions and the partner city of Siegburg. The donations included items essential in wartime conditions, such as power generators, hand and foot warmers, thermal underwear, thermal clothing, warm sports sweatshirts, medical and hygiene supplies, thermal blankets, sleeping bags, long-life food and more.
Bolesławiec mayor Piotr Roman and City Council chairman Józef Pokładek assured that Zbarazh and Ukraine could count on Bolesławiec’s help and support. Mayor R. Polikrowski once again expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Bolesławiec community for its help and material and moral support. He was especially grateful for the bus, which is greatly needed in the current situation, emphasising that the residents of Zbarazh had been able to count on and feel the support of the people of Bolesławiec from the very beginning.
In addition to thanking the residents of the city and Bolesławiec County, special words of appreciation were addressed to the residents of Siegburg for the donated goods and to Barbara Smoleńska, head of the Bolesławiec branch of the Society of Friends of Lviv and the South-Eastern Borderlands, who initiated and coordinated a series of relief efforts provided from the first days of the war.
The bus from Bolesławiec to Przemyśl was driven by Krzysztof Śmietanka and Waldemar Topolski, drivers with MZK Bolesławiec.
It is worth recalling that in Bolesławiec in August 2022, representatives of partner cities signed a “Declaration of Solidarity”, in which they expressed their full support for the Ukrainian people defending their country in accordance with the principles of respect for international law, freedom and democratic values. The signatories are representatives of the local governments of the partner cities of Bolesławiec (Poland), Nogent-sur-Marne (France), Siegburg (Germany), Pirna (Germany), Vallecorsa (Italy) and Acuto (Italy). They firmly condemn Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against free Ukraine, which conflicts with all international agreements and standards and undermines the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The signatories direct special words of support to the residents of Zbarazh, Bolesławiec’s partner city. The women and men of Zbarazh, the citizens of Ukraine, have the right to build their future on fundamental values such as independence, sovereignty, security and democracy. The idea of cooperation between partner cities is based precisely on these values.
The signatories from the six cities assure that these cities will be a safe refuge for them during this extremely difficult time. The declaration also contains thanks to the residents of the signatory cities for the support shown to their Ukrainian partners from the first days of the war, as well as an appeal to continue providing joint assistance after the end of hostilities, including support for Ukraine in its efforts to strengthen democracy and further its economic and social development.