Thursday, 9 September 2010

News from Poland

International

Polish Union evicted from centre in Belarus

17.02.2010 15:40

Andzelika Borys

A court ruling has ordered the eviction of the Polish Union from its building in Ivyanets, sparking outrage.

 

Courts in Volozhyn have ordered the Union of Poles headed by Andzelika Borys to leave its building in the town of Ivyanets, not far from the Belarusian capital Minsk.

 

The ruling has caused outrage among Union members, who believe the move is “scandalous”, deputy head of the Union of Poles, Andzelika Orehovo told Polish Radio after the court judgment.

 

Courts ruled that the Polish centre in Ivyanets will be returned to Stanislaw Siemaszko’s fraction of the Union of Poles in Belarus, which is loyal towards the country’s president Aleksandr Lukashenko.

 

Earlier in the day police stopped 16 members, including Andzelika Borys, who were on their way to Volozhyn to attend the hearing. They were let free soon after, but not allowed into the courtroom.

 

Speaking to Polish Radio before the court decision on the Polish House in Ivyanets, Borys said that she was not expecting the court decision to be favourable to the Union of Poles in Belarus.

 

The Union of Poles in Belarus is an organisation that represents 400,000 Poles in Poland’s eastern neighbour, and has come under repeated fire from the Belarusian president for trying to undermine his authoritarian regime in the country. (jb)

 

Sources: IAR/tvn24

 

Related stories:

Poland at crossroads with Belarus , thenews.pl 17.02.2010

Poland-Belarus: a ‘serious crisis’ , thenews.pl 16.02.2010

Poland to block Belarusians involved in repression , thenews.pl 15.02.2010


Comments: 17 Add new comment
Roman
17/02/2010 17:16:05
Once again we see an example of the all too familiar Soviet style of "justice" rearing its ugly head.
Wasteman
17/02/2010 18:44:14
Roman - right about that. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out. A bit 'Stalinesque' at this moment.
Alex
17/02/2010 18:51:49
As it was pointed before, the fight for the valuable real estate is at the heart of this noisy scandal. This "leadership" is illegitimate. They can't just take over the Union's property. At least, not in a European country. If they want to set up their own organization they should start from scratch.

It's unfortunate that Poland picked up this legal case as it anti-Belarusian casus belli. This nearsighted political act will certainly backfire and lead to a continued decrease in Poland's influence in its eastern neighborhood. Slavs just don't appreciate the self-righteous lecturers.
Z
17/02/2010 19:05:15
"Slavs just don't appreciate the self-righteous lecturers.
Alex"

You're right Alex, so stop lecturing.
Z
17/02/2010 20:10:32
I just read that Stanislaw Siemaszko, leader of the organization loyal to Lukashenko, speaks only Russian. So for practical purposes this group is not even Polish. Also Lukashenko speaks only Russian.
Alex
17/02/2010 20:29:29
Z, does one have to speak Polish to be considered Polish? Most Poles in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania don't steak Polish. So what?

Not that I trust what you read about Stanislaw Siemaszko.
Z
17/02/2010 21:07:05
True about Belarus, Ukraine and Russia, but not Lithuania Alex. However, the leader of a Polish group should be able to speak Polish. He or she would not be elected otherwise. Of course Siemaszko doesn't have to worry about elections as he is appointed by Lukashenko.
Alex
17/02/2010 21:42:27
Z, Siemaszko was voted in. From what I know there were two competing elections. It's a messy situation.

I don't know about his Polish language skills. I'm pretty sure he does speak Polish but obviously not as fluently as someone from Poland. At any rate, it's an easy language to learn for eastern Slavs. I used to know it quite well. But then I lost it because I didn't practice it Smutny

Z
17/02/2010 22:37:23
Its obviously just the two of us on this site. As you may have noticed, I don't believe anything that you say about the Belarusian government, but here is something about your hero:
Lukashenko himself commented about the criticism on him by saying: "I've been hearing these accusations for over 10 years and we got used to it." Before the polling he said: "We are not going to answer them. I want to come from the premise that the elections in Belarus are held for ourselves. I am sure that it is the Belarus people who are the masters in our state." He warned that anyone joining an opposition protest would be treated as a "terrorist", adding: "We will wring their necks, as one might a duck".[53]

Z
17/02/2010 22:39:34
Forgot to mention, Siemaszko speaks only Russian even when he speaking to Polish news media.
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