Milinkevich: Union of Poles' problem is not just a Polish matter

European Parliament's president Erzy Buzek is expected to meet with Aliaksandr Milinkevich, the leader of For Freedom Movement, on February 16 to discuss the situation over the Union of Poles in Belarus. Milinkevich told the European Radio for Belarus that the attack on the activists of the Union of Poles should not be treated as an ethnic conflict. Rather, it should be understood in the light of the harassement of the whole civil society in Belarus. "The government is harassing the civil society. And the Union of Poles is just one of the apparently stringest organizations. I would not look at it as an ethnic conflict. The Belarusian authorities are destroying all the people who are independent and who fight for the rights and human freedoms. I would also put the problems of Malady Front, the Belarusian Christian Democracy and the political prisoners in the same row", Milinkevich said.

The European Parliament is expected next week to pass a special resolution on Belarus in connection with the detention of Union of Poles activists. Apart from meeting Milinkevich, Erzy Buzek will meet with Anzhalika Borys, the chairwoman of the Union of Poles in Belarus.