BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

27/03/2006

Poland takes restrictive measures against Belarus

WARSAW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Poland has decided to impose visa restrictions and likely travel bans against Belarussian citizens deemed responsible for the alleged rigging of Belarus's presidential election, the Polish Press Agency reported on Monday, quoting a statement from the foreign ministry.

Poland's former ambassador to Belarus Mariusz Maszkiewicz was sentenced Monday by a court in Minsk to 15 days in jail for taking part in an unauthorized rally in Belarus. Journalist Weronika Samolinska of the Gazeta Wyborcza daily was also jailed for 10 days.

The Polish Foreign Ministry has sent a formal note to Minsk demanding an explanation.

The Polish consulate at Grodno in western Belarus suspended its operations until further notice in response to the detention of its consul general Andrzej Kretowski and consul Janusz Dabrowski by Belarussian authorities, the Polish Foreign Ministry said Monday.

According to the Polish Press Agency, Kretowski and Dabrowski were held for almost 24 hours at a Belarussian border crossing before they were eventually allowed to cross the border and enter Belarus.

Source:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/28/content_4352558.htm