Polish MFA: Sanctions may be imposed in response to repressions

Polish deputy foreign minister Andrzej Kremer held a briefing today, where he spoke about the situation about the Union of Poles in Belarus, discussed in the Polish MFA.

The deputy foreign minister said Poland was deeply concerned over deterioration of the situation with the Union of Poles in Belarus. AndrzeJ Kremer reminded that during negotiations with the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Polish MFA head Radoslaw Sikorski outlined two variants further relations between Poland and the EU from one side and Belarus from the other side: these were either further extension of contacts or freezing the relations.

According to the deputy minister, Poland is interested in further step-by-step development of cooperation with Belarus, but democratic principles should be respected. Besides, Belarus should fulfil the EU’s conditions, including giving freedom of activity for opposition parties and NGOs, changing the law on mass media, electoral legislation, etc.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland thinks the current repressions against the Union of Poles in Belarus are continuation of unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities that started a week ago. The MFA expects the Belarusian authorities to immediately stop any similar actions. Andrzej Kremer reminded that a question of solving the problem of the Polish minority and the Union of Poles had already been discussed with Belarusian officials.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland thinks it is too early to speak the policy towards Belarus has failed.

The Polish MFA informed the leadership of the European Union and OSCE about the situation with the Polish minority in Belarus. Minister Sikorski proposed to put the Belarusian issue on the agenda of the EU foreign ministers session next week to work out a common position of the ministers towards Belarus.

Polish deputy foreign minister Andrzej Kremer emphasized if the Belarusian government didn’t stop repressions against the Polish minorities, that would lead to self-isolation of Belarus. He also said Poland wouldn’t grant visas to the persons responsible for repressions against the Union of Poles in Belarus led by Andzelika Borys, including members of the pro-governmental Union of Poles.

Meanwhile, Stanislaw Stasiak, the chief of the presidential chancellery, stressed the problem of repressions against the Polish minority in Belarus was so important, that the president insisted on his meeting with the foreign minister. Lech Kaczynski wants to know about the steps taken by Poland to response to the actions of the Belarusian authorities. “The President of Poland thinks decisive and above all effective steps should be made to defend Poles in Belarus,” Stanislaw Stasiak said.

Secretary of state of the presidential chancellery Pawel Wypych told the TV channel TVN24 president Kaczynski was concerned over the increased repressions against the Polish minority. He also added the policy on concessions didn’t bring the expected results. According to him, in this situation the European Union has to give a clear signal to Belarus.

“Minister Sikorski promised he would have a serious man-to-man talk with the Belarusian minister, but the Belarusian party seems not to realize the talks has already taken place,” the representaitve of the Polish president says.