On May 15, a meeting took place between Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet Pavel Latushka, Governor of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Maciej Aviżen, and representatives of the Belarusian diaspora in Wroclaw.
The head of the voivodeship expressed apologies for the long-standing problem with issuing documents to Belarusians, which developed due to the errors made by the previous administration. The Voivode expressed hope that by the end of June, there will be a clearer understanding regarding the possibility of securing additional funding to increase the number of employees dedicated to resolving the existing problem.
Following the meeting with the Belarusian diaspora in Wroclaw on May 14, 2024, which was attended by approximately 200 Belarusians, Pavel Latushka highlighted systemic difficulties in obtaining permanent and temporary residence permits, travel documents, and other related matters in Poland. The requests received from Belarusians during the meeting were conveyed to the voivodeship. Maciej Awiżeń assured that he would make efforts to address them as soon as possible.
In total, there are 49,000 pending cases involving foreign citizens, including thousands of Belarusians, that require immediate resolution. These cases have accumulated over the years. Approximately 20,000 Belarusians reside in the voivodeship.
During the meeting, Lower Silesian Voivode Maciej Awiżeń acknowledged his understanding of the specific challenges related to the legalization of Belarusians in Poland, particularly in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. These challenges arise from the fact that the Lukashenko regime has denied Belarusians the right to obtain new passports or renew their passports at Belarusian embassies and consulates abroad. The voivode assured that the issues of legalizing Belarusians are a priority within his position as the new voivode of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship and will be resolved. The following specific steps will be taken to address them:
The number of employees within the voivodeship administration working on document issuance, including permanent and temporary residence permits, Polish travel documents, etc., will be increased by 51.
A special educational program will be organized for a working group comprising representatives of the Belarusian diaspora. This program aims to provide guidance on the proper collection of documents to expedite the resolution of legalization issues.
Ваявода Ніжнесілезскага ваяводства Мацей Авіжэнь падчас сустрэчы запэўніў Паўла Латушку аб намерах вырашыць да канца бягучага года назапашаныя ў перыяд да сённяшняга дня праблемы легалізацыі беларусаў.
During the meeting, Lower Silesian Voivode Maciej Awiżeń assured Pavel Latushka of his commitment to resolving the accumulated problems of legalizing Belarusians by the end of this year.
The voivode has personally accepted dozens of non-standard and urgent cases involving Belarusians in particularly challenging situations for prompt consideration and appropriate decision-making.
Pavel Latushka will prepare proposals for the voivode to be considered for potential amendments to the law on foreigners. These proposals are crucial for reducing waiting times, minimizing duplicate document requests, and issuing Polish travel documents valid for three years, thereby establishing the identity of foreign citizens in Poland. The voivode pledged to forward these proposals to the central authorities of Poland.
As a result of the meeting, a working group composed of representatives from the Belarusian diaspora in Wroclaw was established. This group will liaise with the voivodeship head to expedite the resolution of Belarusians' legalization issues.
Maciej Awiżeń and Pavel Latushka agreed to reconvene in two months to assess the progress made during this period and advance the resolution of this problem.
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