BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

19.05.2005

Belarus violates democratic standards

Poland's foreign ministry has said that the intimidation of the Union of Poles by the Belarusian authorities violates all democratic standards. Deputy foreign minister Adrzej Zalucki said in the Polish Parliament that the ministry intends to call the attention of world public opinion on the situation in Belarus. The parliament discussed the worsening of relations with Belarus today. MPs pledged to help open a radio station to provide honest information for the citizens of Belarus.

A diplomatic war broke out on the Warsaw-Minsk line after Belarus expelled a senior Polish diplomat, accusing him of meddling in the country's internal affairs. Poland responded, telling a deputy of the Belarusian ambassador to leave. The Polish foreign ministry announced a list of Belarusian citizens denied entry into Poland in return for the persecution of the Union of Poles in Belarus. The Minsk regime declared recent election of the union's officials null and void and ordered the reinstatement of the old leadership loyal to Lukashenko. The Union represents the 400,000 strong Polish minority and is the biggest civic organization in Belarus.

Source:

http://www.radio.com.pl/polonia/article.asp?tId=23055