BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/08/2007

Belarus KGB denied entry to Belarus to Polish deputy speaker of parliament

Deputy speaker of the Polish senate Krzysztof Putra was denied entry to Belarus, where

he was to take part in Polish Army Day celebrations organized in Grodno by an organization of ethnic Poles, which is not recognized by the authoritarian Lukshenko regime, Polish Radio reports. He was accompanied by the deputy head of the Senate office Romuald Lanckowski. Putra said he was denied entry without any justification as the aim of his visit was not political, described the actions of the Belarusian authorities as undemocratic. He recalled that last January he, too, was not allowed to enter Belarus, Polish radio adds.

Staff member of the leadership of the State Security Committee of Belarus (KGB) in the Grodno area, in an interview to the official news agency BelTA confirmed that at the checkpoint Bruzgi Belarus border gards explained to the politicians that according to the current legislation of Belarus they are not allowed to enter the country's territory. The given decision has been earlier conveyed to these citizens of Poland by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, the KGB spokesman said. The purpose of arrival of the Polish politicians is carrying out of joint actions with an illegitimate wing of the Union of Poles of Belarus - daily Telegraf cites an anonimous representative of the KGB. Belarus' official BelTA news agency quoted an unidentified KGB official as saying the Poles had acted deliberately. "These politicians knew full well that they will be denied entry but still went on with their pre-planned scandal," the official was quoted as saying.

Adviser of the Prime Minister of Poland Mikhail Dworczyk was detained yesterday in the Grodno area. After check up of documents he was released, though the politician has hastened to leave Belarus.

According to the Belarus state security service official, entrance to Belarus also closed for the leader of the largest Polish party Civil Platform, Donald Tusk, and the Solidary with Belarus floor leader Robert Tyshkevich. "Actions of the Polish politicians, in particular, those of senator Tusk and deputy Tyshkevich, are regarded as going provocation and lobbying of interests of their party through group of ethnic Poles led by Anzhelika Boris", - the KGB official marked.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1367