EFPA members meets with urgency on the war on Ukraine.

04.March.2022

The European Federation of Psychologist´ Associations (EFPA), met this Thursday with urgency following a request made by the associations from some countries, including the Portuguese Psychologists Association, which did not agree with the press release issued on the 24th of February.

"We do not agree with the press release from EFPA. It was a mistake. There is an apology missing. It was a mistake and deserves apologies from all of us have said nothing, for years, about the previous conflicts and aggressions over Ukraine. Sorry!", said Chairman Francisco Miranda Rodrigues during the meeting.

The Portuguese Psychologists Association also made clear that condemns the "invasion of Ukraine by Russia, as well as the start of the war" and argues that EFPA should also do it clearly. "We are not neutral. We stand by the human rights. And that is being against the invasion. We are not against the Russian population. We are not against the Russian psychologists. We are against an oppressor state and all those who defend them, in their actions or omissions", he added.

The meeting ended with the vote, and approval by a large majority, of the proposal of the expulsion of the Russian Society of Psychology.

"Either the Russian Society of Psychology unequivocally condemns this invasion and the war, or it has no conditions to continue in the EFPA", defended the Chairman, explaining that "(they) may not do it because they don't want to or because they feel that don't have power to do it. In any of the cases they are not in a position to comply with the EFPA´s values and principles and with the meta code of ethics, that all members subscribed to, so as long as they maintain this position, they should not remain members".

The Portuguese Psychologists Association calls for coordinated initiatives to support the affected populations.

The Chairman of the Portuguese Psychologists Association also asked EFPA to "mobilize coordinated initiatives to support the affected populations, such as the immediate elaboration of materials in Russian and Ukrainian languages to advocate for psychological intervention responses in the countries that are receiving refugees"

In the end, Francisco Miranda Rodrigues left a "thank you" to all the psychologists who made themselves available and mobilized to support people who are suffering during this war.