Justice ministry Annulled Convention Union of Poles of Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

Justice Ministry of Belarus has annulled the 6th convention of the Belarusian Union of Poles (BUP), which took place two months ago in Hrodna. According to the Justice Ministry, “majority of the delegates for the convention were elected with violation of the statute of the public association “Belarusian Union of Poles”, and thus could not represent votes of other members of this public association. Besides, the procedure of the convention’ conduction was grossly violated. Persons not belonging to the delegates of the convention, interfered in the session. The agenda of the convention had not been affirmed, quorum was absent by passing majority of decisions. These facts confirm undemocratic character of the convention”. Thus, according to this ruling, all the rulings of the 6th convention are annulled, and Tadevush Kruchkouski, the regime’s henchman, is to lead the Belarusian Union of Poles again.

Justice Ministry offers the public association to carry out the convention once again. In two weeks the supreme council, elected at the 5th convention of the Belarusian Union of Poles, is to define the agenda, the place and the date of the convention, as well as electoral quotient.

It has been reported that Anzhelika Borys, elected as BUP chairwoman at the 6th convention, stated that the authorities exercise tremendous pressure against her. There where even threats on the phone, and demands to leave her position.

Former head of the Union, Tadevush Kruchkouski, who lost the vote, refused to pass documents to the new head of the organization, including the financial ones. And now Anzhelika Borys is charged with financial scheming. Last time she had been interrogated in the police department of Lenin district of Hrodna for 6 hours.

“By all means we shall defend the right to determine the public life of the Poles in Belarus independently,” said Andrej Pachobut, editor-in-chief of the “Polish magazine”, to the “Pahonya”, commenting on the decision of the Justice Ministry. “We won’t let turn the Union of Poles into the union of KGB-men”.

Picture: Anzhelika Borys, elected at the 6th Congress of the BUP