Belarus Deports Two Polish Citizens

Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka

MINSK -- Belarusian authorities have deported two Polish citizens, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports.

Petr Boranja and Halina Zajkowska were deported for moving from one rented apartment in Minsk to another one without first informing the authorities.

Andrej Paczobut of "Gazeta Wyborcza" told RFE/RL that by deporting the Poles, Belarusian authorities are trying to send a message to the officially unregistered Union of Poles in Belarus (SPB) that their activities are under surveillance.

Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has accused the group of involvement in attempts to foment an uprising in the country, similar to what happened in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan.

According to Paczobut, the SPB plans to hold a large gathering in the city of Baranavichi on March 14-15, and Belarusian special services become more and more active as the date of the gathering nears.

Official statistics say there are about 400,000 ethnic Poles currently living in Belarus.