Court to hear on Pole’s Card issue

The Constitutional Court of Belarus is to consider a proposal of the “house of representatives” regarding compliance of the Polish Act on the Pole’s Card with the norms of international law.

Interfax-Zapad news agency learned this from the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.

“For the first time in its history the Constitutional Court is expected to set out its position on a document adopted by a foreign state,” the Court noted.

In accordance with Lukashenka’s decree (of 2008 – Interfax), the Constitutional Court on the motions of the president, parliament, or government “shall state its position on the documents adopted by foreign states and international organizations and affecting the interests of the Republic of Belarus to the extent concerning conformity thereof to the universally acknowledged principles and norms of international law”.

The “house of representatives” adopted a ruling in February on appealing the Constitutional Court to determine whether the Polish Act on Pole’s Card complies with the universally acknowledged principles and norms of international law. As Uladzimir Andreichanka, the chairman of the “house of representatives”, said, the problem (the Act on the Pole’s Card – Interfax) affects a range of issues in Belarus-Poland interaction. The Polish Act on the Pole’s Card has some regulations that contradictinternational norms and do not meet principles of neighbourhood policy.

The Parliament of Poland adopted the Act on the Pole’s Card on September 7, 2007. The law came into force on March 31, 2008. The Card confirms belonging of ethnic Poles living in the CIS and the Baltic countries to the Polish nation and facilitates Polish visa obtaining, guarantees support in running business, employment and study assistance in Poland. The Belarusian authorities have repeatedly criticized the practice of issuing the Pole’s Card accusing Poland of violation the international law.