On October 10 and 13, two important meetings took place in Warsaw to discuss the legal stay and status of Belarusian citizens in Poland.
On October 10, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Head of the Office for Foreigners, Tomasz Cytrynowicz, with the participation of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau. The Polish side confirmed that applications for international protection (asylum) from Belarusian citizens continue to be accepted and processed despite the temporary suspension of deadlines established by law.
Other topics included the possibility of short-term travel outside Poland for persons awaiting decisions on international protection and the application of the Dublin Regulation in cases of deportation of political prisoners to Lithuania.
The Polish side expressed its readiness to explore solutions, including issuing Polish travel documents to those whose Belarus passports have expired or been lost.
On October 13, the first meeting of the interagency working group under the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs took place, chaired by the Minister’s Plenipotentiary for Cooperation with the Democratic Forces of Belarus, Adam Hałaciński. The Belarusian side was represented by Leanid Marozau, as well as members of the United Transitional Cabinet and the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya — Pavel Latushka, Volha Zazulinskaya, and Marharyta Vorykhava.
The meeting addressed key issues related to legal documents and the legal status of Belarusians:
- issuance and recognition of documents that cannot be obtained in Belarus;
- cooperation with Polish institutions regarding driver’s licenses and criminal record certificates;
- cases of Belarusians being persecuted through Interpol;
- challenges faced by Belarusians in Georgia.
The Belarusian side emphasized the need for continuous dialogue to find sustainable legal and humanitarian solutions. The Polish side confirmed its readiness for cooperation and agreed to continue joint work within the framework of the working group.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau: “It is truly important for us that Poland not only remains open to accepting applications for international protection but is also ready to seek solutions to practical issues related to legal stay. We see a genuine understanding of Belarusians’ problems and steps toward their systemic resolution”.
