POLES FROM DONBASS ARE ENTERING THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET
EMILIA DRÓŻDŻ
Poles evacuated from Donbass will leave centres in Ryabki and Łański soon. Most of them managed to find work and home. They are happily accepted in Poland and want to stay here for ever
The governmental program of adaptation of Poles evacuated from Donbass is reaching its end on 13 July 2015. Most of them are still in the Archdiocesan Charity Centre Caritas of the Archdiocese of Warmia in Rybaki and in a Reception- Leisure Complex in Łańsk. Employers of the centres are taking care of food for guests and mediate in finding flats and work for them.
- The self-governments did a good job, we have a good cooperation with governmental institutions – says the director of the centre in Rybaki, Fr. Piotr Hartkiewicz.
Nearly all our compatriots from the East arrived in Poland with their families. A big part of the evacuated are highly educated. – We try to find work for these people, according to their education and experience – says Fr. Hartkiewicz. – It was possible to find work for 90 percent of adults. Local governments are preparing communal flats for them and their families – he adds. To the request of the Interior Ministry, other cities are declaring to give asylum to the newcomers. Katowice decided to give 3 flats for this purpose. – I think that on 13 July everyone will have means for living and a flat – Fr. Piotr hopes.
Some evacuated Poles are to be employed by companies of the State Treasury, whereas private entrepreneurs declared to employ others. A few doctors are to be employed in medical environments. Their situation is the most difficult because at present they do not have work permit – they must undergo a nostrification process of a certificate for a few months. People who had their own business in Ukraine, are thinking about setting up their companies in Poland.
For Poles from the East, the language barrier is still an obstacle in realizing their dreams, although they have done a Polish course for 3 months. It is experienced by Herman Oniszczuk who studied medicine in Donieck for 2 years. In October he is going to start studies at one of our universities. – Not only people of Polish origin arrived here, but also their Ukrainian families which have very little in common with Poland – explains Fr. Hortkiewicz. Herman likes Poland, our clothes and thanks for friendly welcome.
Jurij Żiwenko is an engineer. He worked for a company which provides banks with technical service. He will start work in a Warsaw publishing house soon, as an electronics expert. His wife, as so far, will translate English texts into Russian and Ukrainian. They feel a lot of friendliness from Poles. In our country they can freely participate in religious practices. In Ługańsk of nearly half a million population, from where they come, the Catholics are only a group of a few dozen people. They arrived with their two children at the age of 9 and 16.
Tatiana Jerochowa is a gynecologist. She arrived here with her 21-year-old daughter, a student of medicine and two sons (17 and 2 years old). She is applying for nostrification of her certificate at the University of Warmia – Mazury. Before she gets it, she is going to work in a hospital in Bydgoszcz as a medical assistant.
Aleksander Żelicki, a MA in pharmacy, for 13 years has been managing a network of chemists’ in Ługańsk. He arrived in Poland with his wife, and a 2-year-old son. The nostrification process which entitles them to do their job is long and expensive. He has written to the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber with a request to make procedures easier, but he did not receive any answer. He cannot find work in his sector. – I would like to work in pharmacy, because this work is my hobby – he emphasizes. With our help, he appeals to you to help him find work in this sector. He is glad that in Poland he can go to church every Sunday which is very important for him. – Our priests left occupied territories and there was neither the Holy Mass nor a confession – he says with grief.
AA
„Niedziela” 24/2015