The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly objects to Belarusian police detaining Andżelika Borys, President of the Union of Poles in Belarus. This evening, the Polish MFA summoned the charge d’affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus. The representative of Belarusian diplomacy received a clear message that the actions taken by Belarusian authorities are contrary to that country’s international obligations to protect national minorities as well as Polish-Belarusian bilateral commitments to protect the Polish national minority. The activities of the Union of Poles in Belarus focus on cultivating Polish culture and tradition as well as supporting Polish education and Polish language learning. The arrest of Andżelika Borys, who was elected just a few days ago for another term of office, is tantamount to eliminating Polish identity and not only deals a blow to the good relations with Poland but also inflicts damage to Belarus’s traditional multiculturalism.  We call for the President of the Union of Poles in Belarus to be released at the earliest opportunity and for an end to the arbitrary persecution of representatives of the Polish minority.

 

MFA Press Office