Head of Union of Poles in Belarus to stand trial
2- 26.01.2010, 16:11
Polonika, a Hrodna-based firm, will have a trial in the economic court, where the regional tax inspections sent materials to.
The firm is run by Andzelika Borys, the head of the Union of Poles in Belarus, unrecognized by the authorities. The firm gives the activists an opportunity to carry out educational and cultural work officially,” Radio Svaboda reports.
The Hrodna regional tax inspection gave Andzelika Borys three audit records and informed the case would be submitted to the economic court because of numerous violations found. A date of the trial is unknown. Igor Bancer, the spokesman for the Union of Poles, explains what “violations” the tax inspection found in Polonika’s activity:
“The first one, allegedly our contract with Wspolnota Polska, a Warsawr-based association, has nothing to do with business, being only humanitarian aid. Thus, we violate the president’s decree on humanitarian aid. This is the main accusation. The case wil apparently be based on this fact,” Igor Bancer said.
The situation develops around 30,000 dollars received from Poland by Polonika, Igor Bancer notes.
“We received that money officially in compliance with the contract. The money was transferred to the account, we paid taxes. Nevertheless, they told us the money should have been recorded as humanitarian aid, but not as the money received from a non-resident (Wspolnota Polska) in accordance with a business contract,” the spokesman for the Union of Poles said.
The contract on cooperation between Polonika and Wspolnota Polska provides for teaching the Polish language, promoting Polish culture, organizing concerts of Polish singers, parties, teaching methods seminars.
We remind that mass detentions of activists of the Union of Poles in Belarus, unrecognized by the authorities, took place on January 21. 43 activists were detained on their way to Ivyanets (the Minsk region). They were going to support the head of the local union branch Tereza Sobal, who felt pressure from the authorities.
The mass detentions of the Union activists have been condemned by the Polish authorities and EP President Jerzy Buzek.
