The situation of Poles living in Belarus is very difficult. Lukashenko’s regime continues to repress them through searches, interrogations and arrests. – The activity of the vast majority of Polish organizations in Belarus is paralyzed – assessed Jan Dziedziczak, government plenipotentiary for Polonia and Poles abroad.
Dziedziczak was asked in “Nasz Dziennik” about the situation of Poles in Belarus.
“It is a time of unimaginable stress and suffering. Searches are carried out in Polish premises or private apartments,” – he said. He added that “massive inspections were carried out in Polish language teaching centres”.
“Poles are intimidated. Activists, journalists, veterans, teachers, students and their parents are called in for questioning. The reason is one: they are Poles,” – he stressed.
The government plenipotentiary for Polonia and Poles abroad assessed that the life of Poles in Belarus had never been easy, but “in the last year we have noticed that Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime is taking increasingly harsh measures”.
“We are very concerned about this fact,” – Dziedziczak pointed out.
Asked about the number of Poles imprisoned by the Lukashenko regime, he said that he had only estimated data, which, however, were secret due to the security of the information sources.
“A significant number of Poles have been arrested. Practically everyone is at risk of arrest – not only leaders of local communities or Polish organizations,” – Dziedziczak pointed out.
He recalled that the office under his direction opened an outpost in Białystok, which offers assistance to Poles who fled Belarus or left the country legally.