The United Nations weighed in on the recent Nazi veteran celebration scandal in Canada, saying the organisation opposes any moves celebrating anyone who had actively aided and abetted the Nazis.
Last week, the parliament of Canada gave „a standing ovation” to a Ukrainian man who fought in the Nazi Waffen SS during WW2. The incident took place during a visit by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to the country. The 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka had been invited to attend parliament as a „Ukrainian and Canadian hero,” despite widely available photographic evidence of his membership of the SS, reports the EuropeNews.
The UN weighed in on the scandal when a spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, expressed that the international organisation „stand against any honouring of people, who actively took part in Nazi activities during the Second World War.”
The office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted that „no advance notice” had been provided to Zelensky’s delegation or to the Canadian leader about Hunka’s invitation. Canadian House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota was responsible for inviting Hunka and has since apologised and expressed his „regret” over the decision.
The incident sparked outrage and condemnation from several nation-states and Jewish groups, including Moscow’s ambassador to Ottawa, Oleg Stepanov, who said that Russia would demand an explanation from Ottawa for hailing a Nazi veteran. It branded the government led by Trudeau an „epitome of neo-liberal fascism.”
Warsaw’s ambassador to Ottawa, Witold Dzielski, said that the SS unit Hunka was serving with was „responsible for murdering thousands of Poles & Jews,” adding that his nation would never agree to „whitewashing such villains.”
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) said, „An apology is owed to every Holocaust survivor and veteran of the Second World War who fought the Nazis. „
Photo credit: deleted photo from the social media of Karina Gould
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