BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/08/2007

Poles denied Belarus entry for 'political' reasons

Belarus says that Polish officials tried to cross into Belarus to attend a celebration as part of their electoral campaign and that's why were denied entry. Leader of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) Donald Tusk and the vice president of the Polish senate and members of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS), Krzysztof Putra, were among the officials who were denied entry by Belarusian border guards yesterday. They were on their way to the Belarusian city of Grodno - home to many ethnic Poles and part of Poland before World War II - to attend a Polish Army Day celebration there. According to Maria Vanshina, the spokeswoman of the Belarusian government, the Polish delegation received advanced warning that they would not be able to cross the border. The Polish Foreign Ministry said Minsk's decision to turn away the officials was politically motivated.

Source:

http://www.polskieradio.pl/zagranica/gb/dokument.aspx?iid=57024