Фото: ОПК
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will receive information on the challenges faced by Belarusians abroad and on the activities of the democratic forces. This follows a meeting between Pavel Latushka, deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet, and Cecilia Dalman Eek, Vice-President of the Congress and rapporteur on democratic Belarus.
She arrived in Poland to familiarise herself with the work of Belarusian democratic institutions and with the challenges Belarusians abroad face in the context of transnational repression.
Latushka outlined the activities of the Cabinet, including positive practices of legalising large numbers of Belarusians in Poland and advocating solutions to legalisation problems. He presented the key difficulties Belarusians encounter due to transnational repression, such as long processing times for residence-related applications — which often leads to passport expiry while awaiting decisions — blocked bank accounts, and the application of the Dublin Regulation.
He stressed that Belarusians, unlike EU citizens, cannot rely on protection from their own state, which refuses to issue or renew passports. This makes their situation particularly vulnerable.
Latushka also informed the rapporteur about persecution of Belarusians living in Poland from outside the country: hundreds of criminal cases opened for the purpose of foreign persecution, attempts at recruitment, and blackmail through pressure on relatives and friends in Belarus.
He underlined the importance of recognition by the Congress and by PACE of the activities of the Coordination Council, which has official delegations in these international parliamentary bodies. This ensures that Belarusian society has a legitimate voice in international forums.
Following the visit, the Congress will be provided with a consolidated report on the activities of the Belarusian democratic forces and the main problems faced by Belarusians abroad.