OTTAWA (ANTARA) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regretted on Monday (25/9) the accidental applause of the Canadian Parliament for a veteran who fought for the independence of Ukraine while representing a Nazi unit during the Second War worldwide.
Speaking to journalists in the Lower House (Communal room) Canada, Trudeau called the incident “very disappointing.”
“The Speaker of Parliament recognized his mistake and apologized,” Trudeau told reporters. “However, this is a huge embarrassment for the Canadian Parliament and for all Canadians,” he added.
Trudeau’s remarks come amid revelations that Canadian lawmakers paid a special tribute to Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Canadian of Ukrainian descent, shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Lower House of Canada on Friday (9/22) as part of his visit to the country. However, two days later it was revealed that the man was actually part of a Nazi unit fighting for Ukrainian independence.
Parliament Speaker Anthony Rota, in a speech in Parliament on Friday, praised Hunka as “a veteran of the Canadian-Ukrainian War of World War II who fought for Ukraine’s independence against Russia” and a “Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero.”
After these revelations, calls grew for Rota to resign from his post because he had invited the former Ukrainian soldier.
Amid growing anger at him, the president apologized to Canadian lawmakers shortly after Parliament opened on Monday.
Rota said he personally regretted inviting the voter and paying attention to him after Zelensky’s speech.
“I am very sorry that I offended many people with my attitude and my words,” he said. “This initiative came entirely from me alone.”
“I want to say that I have no intention of embarrassing this assembly,” he added.
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