Right-wing Polish lawmaker says country should be ‘purged’ of people ‘not worthy of belonging’

A senator who is a member of Poland’s right-wing ruling party said Wednesday that the country should be “purged” of people “not worthy of belonging to our national community.”

Grzegorz Bierecki received swift backlash for his incendiary comments, The Associated Press reported on Thursday.

{mosads}“We will not stop until we have fully purged Poland of people who are not worthy of belonging to our national community,” Bierecki reportedly said during a ceremony commemorating the ninth anniversary of a plane crash that killed 96 people.

Bierecki said that the people he was referring to are the ones who showed disrespect to the memory of the plane crash victims, according to the AP. He later said his comments were misunderstood and that he would be apologizing.

Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski, a member of the ruling Law and Justice party that Bierecki is a part of, condemned the remarks and called on the lawmaker to apologize.

He said on Twitter that the comment was “stupid and irresponsible, giving fuel to our opponents.”

Critics condemned Bierecki for his remarks.

“Horrifying, shameful words evoking Europe’s darkest moments and alarming lack of remorse,” the AJC, a global Jewish advocacy group, posted on Twitter.

Grzegorz Schetyna, head of Poland’s opposition party, reportedly tweeted: “Poland, to be proud and strong must not — cannot — be ‘purged’ of anybody. The republic must be a home for all Poles!”

Updated at 1:28 p.m.