The Belarusian delegation expressed its serious concern about the Pole Card Law adopted in Poland, which they said directly affects the interests of many Belarusian citizens and was passed by the Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, without preliminary consultations with the Belarusian government, reported Telegraf.by on February 8. According to the news source, Belarus told its Polish partners that the realization of the law in its current form may “seriously destabilize relations between the two nations, increase tension in Belarusian society, and breed mistrust between Belarusian citizens of different nationalities.” To direct dialogue to constructive channels, the Belarusian side proposed to its Polish colleagues to move from bilateral dialogue to international mediation, including the Venetian Commission of the European Council and requested for independent judicial experts to review whether the law on the Pole Card Law meets international norms. To achieve that goal Belarus has proposed to introduce a moratorium on applying the law towards Belarusian citizens, the news source reported.

The law on the “Polish Card” passed in September 2007 applies to ethnic Poles living in CIS and Baltic countries who cannot obtain dual citizenship. The card allows them to freely cross into Poland, be admitted into Polish educational institutions, and receive government stipends. Holders of the card are also eligible to work in Poland.

This information was originally published on February 8, 2008. (www.telegraf.by).