Non-official Union of Poles agrees to registration but will not go cup in hand to anyone

The Chairperson of the unregistered Union of Poles in Belarus Anżelika Orechwo hopes that Aliaksandr Lukashenka will keep his promises. The Belarusian leader has said in the converstaion with the Polish journalists that as many Polish organizations as wished can be registered in our country. Orechwo has stated in her conversation with Euroradio that the registration issue will be considered at the session of the Chief Council of the Union of Poles in the middle of November. However, they also have their own conditions:

Orechwo: "We are trying to use any opportunity to legalize our activity. However, we demand that our rights should be the ones of an independent organization. We want to decide who will head our organization ourselves".

Let us remind you there was a rift in the Union of Poles in 2005. Belarusian authorities refused to recognize Anżelika Borys, elected by the majority, as a Chairperson. Two Unions of Poles have existed in Belarus for 5 years, since the rift inspired by the official Minsk: one of them is recognised in Belarus, the other one - in Poland.