Union of Poles in Belarus: Proposal to be registered is a trap

The Union of Poles in Belarus which is not recognized by the Belarusian authorities, has adopted a decision not to make attempts to register under a different name.

It has been stated by the chairman of the main council of the Union of Poles in Belarus Andrzej Poczobut in an interview to the Polish agency PAP.

As said by him, this decision was made after Brest branch of the organization was denied registration. As the head of Brest branch of the Union Alina Yarashevich informed, after Alyaksandr Lukashenka in an interview to Polish media said there is a possibility to register the Union of Poles under a different name, members of the Union of Poles in Brest decided to use that and be registered as “Pamezhzha” (“Borderzone”). However the local department of the Justice Ministry refused to register them explaining that by the fact that they failed to make it in time given for finding additional documents. As said by Yarashevich, it was impossible to submit documents in due time, as the only official of the Justice Ministry responsible for registration was on a medical leave for more than a month.

The Council of the Union of Poles in Belarus believes that all attempts to be registered would face the analogous problems. And a decision was adopted to refuse to register. “The way offered by Alyaksandr Lukashenka is a trap for the Union of Poles, it is involving the organization in pointless actions,” the statement of the Council reads.