On March 25, the working group on Belarusians in Poland held its first session. The group had been formed within the Ministry of the Interior and Administration following Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's visit to Poland. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya Representative on Legal Affairs Kristina Rikhter and representatives of the Center for Belarusan Solidarity joined the group.
At the session, the members of the group discussed:
– how to return the passports of Belarusian citizens who applied for visas to the Polish consular offices in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Lutsk, and Lviv;
– what legal status Belarusians fleeing from Ukraine can receive in Poland;
– how Belarusians in Poland can issue or extend humanitarian visas;
– how to expedite the decisions in the international protection procedure;
– how Belarusians can get Polish travel documents if their passports are expiring or damaged/lost;
– what amendments to the legislation are needed to issue long-term Humanitarian Stay visas for Belarusians;
– what discrimination Belarusians face and how to respond to such cases.
Deputy Minister Bartosz Grodecki said: “The stay of all Belarusians coming from Ukraine in Poland is legal, and they should not fear for their safety. The registration of stay is a formal legal issue that requires time to resolve, as well as changes in the legislation. Belarusians can be sure that Poland supports them”. He added that the proposals on every issue would be discussed in the Interior Ministry and taken into account.
Sessions of the Interior Ministry working group involving the Office and CBS representatives will be held on a regular basis. The next meeting is scheduled for this week.
