Illustrative photo Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Pavel Latushka , held a meeting with the Director of the Foreign Pensions Department of the Social Insurance Institution of Poland ( Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych , ZUS), Andrzej Szybkie. The ZUS representative informed that the preparation of a guidance note on the procedure for Belarusian citizens to obtain pensions in Poland is currently under review by ZUS management. Pavel Latushka  requested that the preparation of this informational document be expedited for distribution among Belarusian citizens residing in Poland. Andrzej Szybka explained that individuals entitled to a pension in Poland (regardless of the length of work in Poland and the amount of contributions paid to pension funds) are eligible for: " 13th pension "  (trzynasta emerytura)  — an annual one-time payment equal to the minimum pension. In 2025, it amounts to PLN 1,878.91 gross (approximately PLN 1,709.81 net). It is granted automatically – no application is required; " 14th pension "  (czternasta emerytura)  — an additional annual payment (usually in autumn) equal to the minimum pension. Full amount is granted to pensioners with income below the established threshold. It is also granted automatically; Care supplement (dodatek pielęgnacyjny)  — paid automatically to people over 75 years old or fully disabled, regardless of age. In 2025, it will be PLN 348.22 per month. No application is required (except in special cases, e.g., staying in a nursing home); Care allowance (zasiłek pielęgnacyjny)  — for people over 75 years old who do not receive the care supplement from ZUS. Requires an application at MOPS/GOPS (municipal social protection center); " 500+ for the elderly "  (świadczenie uzupełniające)  — for fully disabled persons who do not receive other benefits. Amounts to PLN 500 per month. Requires an application and medical certification of disability. It is recommended to submit pension applications at ZUS branches in the place of residence. They can also be sent by mail to the First Department of ZUS in Łódź (ul. Zamenhofa 2, 90-431 Łódź), but additional identity verification will be required later. The ZUS representative confirmed the previously agreed arrangement by Pavel Latushka  during the meeting at the Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Policy of Poland regarding holding an informational meeting for Belarusian citizens residing in Poland on the subject of pensions. The date will be set shortly. Pavel Latushka  expressed gratitude to the Polish side for assisting Belarusian citizens. Pavel Latushka  stated: "For the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, it is fundamentally important to provide maximum support and advisory assistance in lobbying for the interests of Belarusian citizens of pension age, who have been forced to reside in Poland, in order to facilitate their social support".

Lukashenka’s aircraft. Source: lenta.ru Some relief has been granted to Belavia under U.S. sanctions, but the airline itself remains on the SDN list. The personal aircraft of Lukashenka, included in the SDN list based on proposals from NAM, remain under sanctions. The U.S. has allowed flights of eight Belavia aircraft subject to license servicing to any destination and from any point of origin, including from Belarus, except for flights to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, or temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.  Nevertheless, European airspace remains closed to aircraft from Belarus. Belavia has also been permitted technical servicing, routine and major repairs, and/or restoration of certain aircraft under a number of restrictions, as well as the export, re-export, or transfer of certain equipment, consumables, and materials intended for use with specific Belavia aircraft, subject to conditions and limitations. This authorization applies to aircraft subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), including eight Boeing planes owned by Belavia. The authorization does not apply to Boeing aircraft used by dictator Lukashenka, which the U.S. has included in the SDN list based on NAU’s  proposals and justifications: Boeing 767, registration EW-001PB Boeing 737, registration EW-001PA The Boeing 767 with registration EW-001PB is one of the planes Lukashenka uses during official visits. This aircraft was purchased in 2012 and previously belonged to former Turkmen leader Saparmurat Niyazov. Source: news.zerkalo.io Belavia is prohibited from using the aircraft to transport items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), including any items intended to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. Belavia is allowed to carry out maintenance, repair, restoration, and refurbishment of aircraft, including the use of items subject to export control, provided these items have been separately authorized for export or re-export to Belarus or for use by Belarusian aircraft. The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will monitor the supply of parts for Belavia aircraft on a case-by-case  basis to determine whether they are intended for servicing and operating Belavia’s commercial passenger fleet, and to prevent the risk of diversion to other unauthorized end uses or end users, including Russia. Illustrative photo As noted by the Deputy Head of the UTC and Head of NAM, Pavel Latushka : "Overall, these relaxations can be seen as a limited step toward the Belarusian national carrier, but they maintain strict control and sanctions frameworks. Before the propaganda of Lukashenka’s regime starts boasting in the future about ‘successes’ in lifting sanctions, proper expertise must be applied to evaluate these decisions. The measures taken by the U.S. regarding Belavia are aimed solely at ensuring the safety of civil aviation and passengers, and in no way imply a cessation of sanctions pressure on the Lukashenka regime — two of Lukashenka’s Boeing aircraft remain under U.S. sanctions".

Source: sb.by First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lukashenka’s regime, Sergey Lukashevich, spoke about the ratification of an agreement between Belarus and Russia "on measures for the mutual protection of citizens from unjustified prosecution by foreign states and international judicial bodies", which provides for the refusal to extradite persons enjoying immunity to an international court or tribunal . NAM has commented on this statement. First , there were never any expectations that the regimes in Belarus and Russia would voluntarily surrender their representatives into the hands of international justice for crimes committed under international law. According to Article 35 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, no agreements between Belarus and Russia create obligations for third countries, where the criminals of the two regimes can be arrested today. This makes the future document essentially  a political declaration . Sergey Lukashevich. Source: belta.by Second , Mr. Lukashevich stated that "international law provides immunity for the so-called trio: heads of state, government, and foreign ministers" , likely referring to the International Court of Justice case concerning the "arrest warrant".However, in paragraph 61 of that very decision, the Court stated: "The rules governing the jurisdiction of national courts do not affect immunities under customary international law. However, the immunity from jurisdiction enjoyed by incumbent ministers for foreign affairs (and, by extension, heads of state and government) does not mean that they enjoy impunity in respect of any crimes they may have committed… Immunity from jurisdiction does not mean impunity from criminal responsibility. Incumbent or former foreign ministers may be subject to criminal proceedings before certain international criminal courts, where they have jurisdiction". We remind that the ICC has jurisdiction over international crimes committed by Lukashenka and Putin, while Article 27 of the Rome Statute explicitly states that "This Statute shall apply equally to all persons without any distinction based on official capacity" , and that "Immunities or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person" . Putin and Lukashenka in Valaam. Source: gazeta.ru The immunities of Lukashenka and Putin are not an obstacle to their criminal prosecution and the possibility of their potential arrest in the territory of any state party to the Rome Statute  — let alone for individuals lower in the hierarchy. Third , the fact that this “declaration” is planned to be signed only by Minsk and Moscow indicates that, as of today, no other country is willing to play along in this spectacle. It seems that the document is being signed exclusively for the self-reassurance of the dictators. This also underlines the fact that this issue deeply troubles them. Against this background, we reaffirm that we will only intensify our efforts to hold Lukashenka accountable for the crimes committed. Fourth , we would like to point out that the statement of the regime’s MFA came after the report of a group of independent UN experts, which named Lukashenka, Karayeu, Karpenkou, and other individuals as being most responsible for crimes against humanity in Belarus, and who are therefore potentially subject to international criminal prosecution. Commenting on this decision, the head of NAM, Pavel Latushka , noted: "Sergey Lukashevich, who considers himself the First Deputy Foreign Minister of Lukashenka’s regime, and who worked for many years in Argentina, also covering Chile, should know well the fate of Augusto Pinochet and the fact that no appeals to immunity ever helped him" .

Photo source: pulsmedycyny.pl This year, the National Anti-Crisis Management became a partner of the Economic Forum for the second time. We have already published information about the panel discussion we organized, “ Forgotten Belarus ”, and now we would like to share with you the results  of the Forum from the organizers: Over 6,000 guests came to the XXXIV Economic Forum in Karpacz, which took place on September 2–4, 2025. For three days, representatives of politics, business, economics, science, and culture from more than 50 countries debated the most important challenges of modern times, focusing on this year’s Forum’s leading theme: “Time of Transformation — What Will the Future of Europe Look Like?” The Forum once again gathered a record number of participants and partners in every sector, becoming an even stronger platform for the exchange of experiences and building relationships between leaders of administration, local governments, business, and academic communities. The event confirmed that cross-sector cooperation is not only a foundation but also a key driver of development in the face of global challenges. The Forum hosted more than 600 events, including plenary and special sessions, discussion panels, debates, report presentations, special events, author meetings, press briefings, galas, and concerts. The discussions focused on the most important issues shaping the contemporary world, all embedded in the context of this year’s theme on the future of Europe. This year we welcomed 6,000 guests from 53 countries! 148 Business Partners (9% y/y growth) 3,472 participants at the c-level, director, and business owner level 110 institutional partners 82 media partners Forum — a platform for dialogue This year’s Forum brought together key politicians, managers, local government officials, scientists, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and other social life environments. As every year, the Economic Forum in Karpacz became a platform for dialogue connecting all these areas. The world of politics and important institutions was represented, among others, by: Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz — Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense; Krzysztof Gawkowski — Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Affairs; Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk — Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy; Marcin Kulasek – Minister of Science and Higher Education; Paulina Hennig-Kloska — Minister of Climate and Environment; Dariusz Klimczak — Minister of Infrastructure; Stefan Krajewski — Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz — Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. Guests of the Forum also included: Andrzej Duda – President of Poland in 2015–2025; Krzysztof Bosak — Deputy Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland; Leszek Miller — Prime Minister of Poland in 2001–2004; Mateusz Morawiecki — Prime Minister of Poland in 2017–2023; Janusz Onyszkiewicz – Minister of National Defense in 1992–1993 and 1997–2000; MP Sławomir Mentzen. Every year, the Economic Forum attracts not only the most important personalities from Poland but also from other countries. This year, participants in the Economic Forum included, among others: Martina Dalić, CEO of Podravka (Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia 2016–2018); Václav Klaus, former President of the Czech Republic (2003–2013); Mirek Topolánek, former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic (2006–2009); Alaiba Dumitru, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister, Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, Moldova; Mitova Pavela, Chair of the Energy Committee, National Assembly, Bulgaria; Nicole Alexander, New York University — Professor, former Global Marketing Director at Meta; Dmytro Razumkov, former Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, head of the “Smart Politics” parliamentary group; Marina Raguš, National Assembly, Deputy Chair of the National Assembly, Se; Oleksii Kucher, Chairman of the State Regulatory Service of Ukraine; Geoffrey Van Orden — founder of the ECR group in the European Parliament, former military officer and MEP, United Kingdom; Alan Friedman, Director of Lugano Global Forum; Robert Hamilton, President of Delphi Global Research Center; Yasheng Huang, Professor at MIT Sloan School of Management; Alexander MacDonald, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). We are pleased to have hosted such distinguished personalities who brought an international perspective to our discussions. Forum of regions The Forum was attended by over 1,000 representatives of local and regional authorities, marshals of voivodeships, city mayors, district governors, town mayors, commune heads, and councilors of all levels of local government from Poland and Europe, including, among others: Paweł Gancarz — Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship; Łukasz Smółka — Marshal of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship; Jarosław Stawiarski — Marshal of the Lublin Voivodeship; Krzysztof Grabowski — Deputy Marshal of the Greater Poland Voivodeship; Marek Malinowski – Deputy Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship; Leszek Bonna — Deputy Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship; Piotr Pilch — Deputy Marshal of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; Agnieszka Ryś — Deputy Marshal of the Łódź Voivodeship; Janina Ewa-Orzełowska — Member of the Board of the Masovian Voivodeship; Elżbieta Pniewska — Chairwoman of the Regional Assembly of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship; Jacek Sutryk – Mayor of Wrocław; Tomasz Mencina – Deputy Mayor of Warsaw; Stanisław Mazur — Deputy Mayor of Kraków; Anna Augustyniak — Deputy Mayor of Lublin; Marcin Deręgowski — Deputy Mayor of Rzeszów; Piotr Grzelak — Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk; Maciej Wujec — Deputy Mayor of Opole; Adam Ciszkowski — President of the Union of Polish Local Governments; Kazimierz Karolczak — Chairman of the Upper Silesia-Zagłębie Metropolis. More and more partners Over 6,000 guests attended the 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz, which took place on September 2–4, 2025. Source: forbes.pl A very positive signal is the growing interest in cross-sector cooperation within the Forum – this year, 9% more entities joined the group of business partners compared to last year. Among the 148 companies were both small and medium-sized enterprises, the backbone of the Polish economy, as well as leading investors, innovators, and global corporations that have a particular impact on shaping the future of Europe. The Forum was co-created with us by, among others: McDonald's as Strategic Partner Warsaw School of Economics as Main Content Partner QEMETICA LIDL GSK Citi Handlowy Polish Armaments Group Maspex Budimex PKP Intercity French-Polish Chamber of Commerce Polish Deposit System S.A. OK Deposit Operator PreZero Impel Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers Wrocław Agglomeration Development Agency Lower Silesian Innovation and Science Park Biokinetica Chiesi Supra Brokers Kaufland Pekabex Holcim Polska Unibep SA FAKRO RALEN GROUP WARS Goodvalley Fortum EkoVoltis VeloBank Marvipol Medicover Biokinetica Abvee Kuwings AstraZeneca Novartis MSD Infarma Sanofi Medtronic Polmed National Drug Manufacturers Abbott Among more than 600 discussions and debates across 20 thematic tracks, the following panels took place, among others: “Strategies Determining Success in Business!”, with the participation of: Anna Rulkiewicz, CEO, LUX MED Krzysztof Pawinski, CEO, Maspex Group Jan Kolanski, CEO, Colian Włodzimierz Wlaźlak, CEO, Lidl Poland Marcin Ujejski, CEO, BeLeaf S.A. Ryszard Florek, CEO, FAKRO Poland “Between the Company and the Family – How to Build Lasting Generational Wealth?”, with the participation of: Szymon Gil, Director of Strategic Clients, Michael Strom Brokerage House Marek Kiecan, CEO, Biokinetica S.A. Katarzyna Gierczak-Grupińska, President, Family Business Foundation Grzegorz Pleta, CEO, Zdrowopolscy ABE Dystrybucja Sp. z o.o. Dorota Wieczorkowska, President, Vesper Family Foundation Beata Krzyżagórska-Żurek, Managing Partner, Krzyżagórska Łoboda & Partners sp. P. Mariusz Wojciech Książek, CEO, Marvipol Development S.A. The Forum was not only a place for debates but also a space for special events: XVI Healthcare Forum, which brought together 160 hospital directors within a special block of discussions on medical institutions. Construction and Investment Forum — over 300 guests debated the future of the construction and real estate industry. Food Economy Forum — discussions on 21st-century agriculture and food with producers, processors, retail chains, and the HoReCa sector. Cybersecurity Forum — organized for the seventh time together with the Ministry of Digital Affairs – debates on digital protection in Poland and the EU, the functioning of the NIS, health protection strategies, and digitalization of local governments. A novelty of this year’s edition — a dedicated space for family businesses, where topics of succession and capital allocation were addressed. During the Forum, QEMETICA announced the selection of a partner for the development of Poland’s largest thermal waste treatment facility in Inowrocław. This will be carried out in cooperation with PreZero Polska. The panel included representatives of both companies, accompanied by the Mayor of Inowrocław, Arkadiusz Fajok, and Prof. Grzegorz Wielgosiński from the Lodz University of Technology. A memorandum of cooperation was also signed between Ericsson Poland and Play. Michał Ziółkowski, Director of the Technology Division and Member of the Management Board of Play, together with Marcin Sugak, Director for Critical Network Infrastructure in Northern and Central Europe at Ericsson, established a strategic partnership for the development of Poland’s digital infrastructure. Increasingly broad cooperation between science and business At the XXXIV Economic Forum, we hosted the authorities of more than forty universities. Poland’s largest higher education institutions were partners of the Forum, with the Warsaw School of Economics serving as the Main Content Partner. For their exceptional contribution to the organization of the Economic Forum, six universities were honored with the title of Academic Partner – these were: the University of Warsaw, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, Jagiellonian University, Wrocław University of Economics, and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków. Several other universities became partners of the Forum and significantly contributed to building its substantive program. Among the most important events was the Rectors’ Breakfast, attended by Marcin Kulasek, Minister of Science and Higher Education. Meetings of rectors of technical universities with business representatives also took place. The XXXIV Economic Forum highlighted more strongly than any previous edition the key role of universities and Polish science. Suffice it to say, more than 300 professors from Poland and abroad participated in the conference. The two most important reports presented at the Forum were the result of cooperation with universities – the SGH and Economic Forum Report, traditionally opening the event, was prepared by scholars from the Warsaw School of Economics, and the “Financial Report of Local Government Units” was prepared by researchers from the Wrocław University of Economics. The richest cultural program in the history of the Economic Forum During the Economic Forum in Karpacz, guests could enjoy a wide-ranging cultural program, including the most extensive program of author meetings in the history of the conference. The highlight of the cultural program was a concert by Justyna Steczkowska, partnered by McDonald’s. This year, as many as 36 author meetings took place. The events were held not only on the specially created Book Stage, but also in other locations, including the Main Stage. Books by authors from 8 countries were presented, including from the USA, France, Ukraine, Armenia, Czech Republic, China, Romania, and, of course, Poland. The books covered topics such as economics, politics, geopolitics, society, modern technologies and AI, as well as reportage, fiction, academic and popular science works, and international reports. This year’s edition featured, among others: Prof. Nicole Alexander with her book “Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: Aligning Growth, Responsibility, and Customer Trust” Stanislav Aseev with his book “The Bright Path. A Concentration Camp in Donetsk” Prof. Jerzy Bralczyk and Prof. Leszek Czupryniak with their book “Sugar on the Tongue. Conversations about Diabetes” Prof. Jacek Czaputowicz with his book “Poland and Trump. How We Became an Important Ally of the USA” Alan Friedman with his book “The End of America?: A Guide to the New World Disorder” Konstanty Gebert with his book “A Room with a View of War. The History of Israel” Prof. Roberto Gonzalez with his book “War Virtually” Prof. Yasheng Huang with his book “The Twilight of the East. How China Became a Power and Whether It Faces Collapse” Václav Klaus with his book “In Defence of Normalcy” Prof. Grzegorz Kołodko with his book “Trump 2.0. The Revolution of Sick Common Sense” Dr. Jacek Kotarbiński with his book “Influencer Marketing. The Economics of 21st-Century Creators” Simon Kuper with his book “Football Against The Enemy” Prof. Dorota Niedziółka with her book “Economics of War — The Social, Economic and Geopolitical Impact of The War in Ukraine” Zbigniew Parafianowicz with his book “Breakfast Smells of Corpses” Dr. Tamilla Triantoro with her book “Minds Intertwined” Prof. Przemysław Sadura with his book “On the Power and Powerlessness of the Contemporary Polish State” Rafał Ziemkiewicz with his book “What a Beautiful Suicide” Prof. Andrzej Zybertowicz with his book “AI Exploration” Guests of the events could receive books prepared by the Book Institute, available after the meetings along with a dedication and autograph from the author. Awards of the XXXIV Economic Forum The highlight of the Economic Forum was the presentation of awards to outstanding personalities and distinguished economic entities whose activities have an impact on the political and social life of our country. This year, the Program Council of the Economic Forum awarded the title of Person of the Year to Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs. Company of the Year went to PKP Intercity. The cultural distinction of the Chairman of the Program Council of the Economic Forum was awarded to Prof. Jerzy Bralczyk. Also honored were family business leaders: Jan Kolański — Colian, and Jan Szynaka — Szynaka Meble. The Economic Award of the SGH Warsaw School of Economics was given to Irena Pichola, President of the Responsible Business Forum. During the Gala on the second day of the Forum, further prestigious awards were presented, recognizing exceptional personalities, institutions, and companies. Among the awardees was Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, founder and director of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing and the World Hearing Center in Kajetany, who received the Józef Oleksy Award from Maria Oleksy. The title of NGO of the Year of the Economic Forum went to the Foundation for the Development of Cardiac Surgery named after Prof. Zbigniew Religa. The Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship’s Award for popularization and building the regional identity of Lower Silesia was received by Maciej Sokołowski, director of the Andrzej Zawada Mountain Festival in Lądek-Zdrój. Marshal Paweł Gancarz also presented the special award of the Economic Forum and the Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship to Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski – participant of the Axiom Mission 4 “Ignis,” the second Pole in space and the first to visit the International Space Station (ISS). The City of Wrocław Awards went to three companies: Capgemini Poland, Hert Bakery, and Pyszne.pl . At the close of the gala, the Tadeusz Kościuszko Cracow University of Technology “AI Visionary Award” was presented to the company DotConnect. On Thursday, during the closing gala of the XXXIV Economic Forum in Karpacz, awards were presented to young leaders, local government representatives, and companies. The first was the Young Leader Award, presented by Prof. Piotr Wachowiak, Rector of the Warsaw School of Economics. The award went to Kacper Adam Nowicki — President and Founder of the Varia Posnania Foundation and Coordinator of the Polish Youth Dialogue PROM. The Economic Award of the Poland–Europe Institute went to Jakub Jazdon, CEO of Onix. Traditionally, on the third day, the Local Government Ranking Awards for 2024 were presented. In the category Rural Municipality, the award went to Małgorzata Pachecka, mayor of Michałowice; in the category Urban-Rural Municipality, the award went to Michał Wiśniewski, mayor of Konstancin-Jeziorna. In the category Land County, the distinction was awarded to Wrocław County, while in the category City with County Rights, the award went to Poland’s capital — Warsaw. The galas of the Economic Forum were enriched by performances of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Lower Silesia in Jelenia Góra, conducted by Marek Wroniszewski and Dariusz Zboch, as well as the National Brass Orchestra, conducted by Justyna Chmielek-Korbut. As every year, the Forum’s debates were covered by Poland’s leading media as well as numerous international outlets. The XXXIV Economic Forum hosted over 700 journalists and media representatives, whose work resulted in thousands of news reports, correspondences, broadcasts, and documentaries. The XXXIV Economic Forum in Karpacz was organized by the Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies, in partnership with the Marshal’s Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship — the Main Partner of the Forum, the Municipality and City of Karpacz — the Host City, the City of Wrocław, Wrocław Airport, and the Gołębiewski Hotel, which served as the Congress Center. For more details, please visit the Economic Forum website : https://www.forum-ekonomiczne.pl/en/news/xxxiv-economic-forum-in-karpacz-the-largest-conference-in-the-region

On September 1, at the invitation of the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Poland, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz , Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Pavel Latushka , took part in events at Westerplatte dedicated to the 86th anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War. The events were attended by the President and Prime Minister of Poland, Karol Nawrocki  and Donald Tusk , Marshal of the Sejm of Poland, Szymon Hołownia , and others. During the event, Pavel Latushka held brief conversations with ministers of defense, culture, and education, as well as with deputy ministers of foreign affairs and regional policy. Pavel Latushka: "When you have a nightmare, upon waking, you escape it, freeing yourself from horror and fear. Those who woke up on the night of September 1, 1939, to artillery fire and falling bombs found themselves in a nightmare that claimed millions of human lives around the world. Westerplatte, where I was present today on September 1 at the invitation of the Polish government, once again reminded us of the scale of human tragedy that arises when politicians are obsessed with power over people, when the desire to fulfill their ambitions leads to the devaluation of human life. Today, we must above all value human life — both of the Ukrainians, who are fighting for every Ukrainian and for every European, and of the Belarusians, who under torture in the prisons of the regime sacrifice their freedom for the sake of each of us. Not forgetting these sacrifices is our duty and responsibility: to fight for freedom today and for lasting guarantees of a free Belarus in the European House tomorrow" .

The decision taken by the Polish government to close all border crossings on the Belarusian-Polish border was the subject of a meeting between the Deputy Head of Pavel Latushka’s Cabinet and the Speaker of the Coordination Council, Artsiom Brukhan, and the Special Representative of the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs for cooperation with the Belarusian democratic forces, Adam Hałaciński. Pavel Latushka emphasized that the United Transitional Cabinet advocates for increasing pressure on the Lukashenka regime, including economic pressure, in order to force the regime to change its repressive domestic and aggressive foreign policies. At the same time, it is important for the Cabinet to preserve the possibility for Belarusians to travel to EU countries. While acknowledging Poland’s position of making decisions in the interests of national security, Pavel Latushka also drew the Polish side’s attention to the importance of maintaining people-to-people contacts and supporting Belarusians’ European orientation. Adam Hałaciński noted that the closure of border crossings is connected with security and the implementation of preventive measures in connection with the risks arising from the "Zapad-2025" military exercises. The Polish MFA representative asked for understanding of the situation and stressed that this decision is not intended to harm the public interests of either Belarusian or Polish citizens. Nevertheless, at present the Polish side’s position is that border traffic on the Belarusian-Polish border will be restored only when there is confidence that the safety of Polish citizens is guaranteed and that there will be no risk of provocations or possible aggressive actions against Poland. In response to a question about how the Polish side would act in the event of the need to cross the border for humanitarian purposes, the MFA representative noted that the decision lies exclusively within the competence of the Polish Ministry of Interior. Special attention was given to the issue of political prisoners in Belarus. It was emphasized that their release is one of the key demands of the democratic movement and international partners. Attention was drawn to possible mechanisms of support and assistance from Poland in the event of the release of large groups of political prisoners, including humanitarian and social assistance. The situation around the "Zapad-2025" military exercises, which raise concern in the region, was also discussed, as well as the recent violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones coming from Belarus. It was noted that it is precisely the external aggressive policy of the dictator that leads to the necessity of applying corresponding restrictive measures to ensure security.

On September 12, the UN Group of Independent Experts on the human rights situation in Belarus published a working document  titled "Bridging the Accountability Gap for Human Rights Violations and Related Crimes in Belarus". Deputy Head of the Cabinet, Pavel Latushka: "In the new report, which details mechanisms for holding perpetrators accountable, it is explicitly stated that the priority is the establishment of truth, justice, as well as compensation for victims of human rights violations in Belarus. It is symbolic that this report was published the day after the entire world could witness the brutal forced removal from the country of 52 political prisoners by Lukashenko. Their stories serve as a vivid testimony of the committed crimes and the necessity to ensure adequate restoration of the victims’ rights. It is extremely important that the report of the Group of Independent Experts not only confirms the legal conclusions of Belarusian and international organizations, including the People’s Anti-Crisis Management, classifying the actions of the Lukashenko regime authorities as crimes against humanity, but also explicitly names the specific individuals most responsible for these crimes: Aleksander Lukashenko, Nikolai Karpienko, Yuri Karaev. The report also demonstrates that supporting referral of the Belarusian situation by the Government of Lithuania is not a matter of legal debate, but a moral obligation for countries that stand for the rule of law, the ideals of justice, and the protection of human rights. We call on our partners to do everything possible to ensure justice through the mechanisms highlighted in the UN Group of Independent Experts’ report". Canadian representative of the Expert Group,  Suzanne Basili: "The Group has reasonable grounds to believe that Lukashenko developed and implemented a policy aimed at suppressing any form of dissent through the persecution of real or perceived opponents with the aim of retaining power, and participated in crimes against humanity in the form of political persecution and imprisonment, committed in Belarus since May 1, 2020". The experts emphasized that ensuring justice and accountability at the international level and in third countries are not mutually exclusive options and do not hinder any future judicial proceedings in Belarus. Monika Płatek , expert of the Group : "When the day comes after President Aleksander Lukashenko’s rule, strengthening the national judiciary in Belarus will be crucial for restoring Belarusians’ trust in their own national institutions, particularly the judicial system. We call on all relevant stakeholders to treat all these options as complementary and to continue documenting evidence for future accountability processes".

The prospects for cooperation between the Coordination Council and the European Parliament were discussed at a meeting between the Speaker of the Coordination Council, Artsiom Brukhan , and the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, member of the Coordination Council, Pavel Latushka , with the Deputy Head of the European Parliament delegation for relations with Belarus,  Michał Kobosko . During the meeting, an agreement was reached to strengthen the Coordination Council’s interaction with the group responsible for cooperation with the democratic forces of Belarus and, more broadly, with the European Parliament. It was proposed to consider the possibility of holding, in the near future, an event similar to the large political conference on Belarus that took place in the European Parliament in December 2024. On behalf of the United Transitional Cabinet, Pavel Latushka noted that, while generally supporting Poland’s decision to strengthen pressure on the Lukashenko regime, it is important to maintain the possibility of communication for Belarusians, the majority of whom are interested in maintaining relations with the member states of the European Union. It is important to remember that Belarusians are not the Lukashenko regime, and Belarus is part of the European space. At the same time, the importance of using the situation with the closure of border crossings to increase pressure on the Lukashenko regime was emphasized, in order to achieve maximum results in the interests of Belarusian society. The representative of the European Parliament noted support for the further strategy of increasing sanctions pressure on the Lukashenko regime if Lukashenko does not change his internal repressive and external aggressive policy.

Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council. The attack on Polish territory by Russian drones is the implementation and execution of a deliberate, motivated policy by Russia with the support of the Lukashenko regime , the objectives of which are: destabilization of the situation in Polish society, as well as in European societies in general; demonstration of power; testing the effectiveness of the air defense systems of a NATO member country. This is a consequence of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, carried out with the support of the Lukashenko regime. Conducting the Belarusian-Russian exercises “Zapad-2025” on the territory of Belarus under these circumstances poses an obvious threat both to neighboring countries and to Belarus itself. The Lukashenko regime acts entirely contrary to the national interests of Belarus. "Polish Territorial Defense Forces at the site of the Russian drone crash in the village of Wohyń, September 10, 2025." Photo: PAP/Wojtek Jargiło For now, the situation can be described as a controlled escalation.  However, there are no guarantees that it will not spiral out of control. Lukashenko is not a guarantor of security, neither for Belarusians nor for neighboring peoples. As long as the current regimes remain in Belarus and Russia, Europeans cannot feel safe. The fact that the drones entered Polish airspace from the territory of Belarus opens a new chapter in the perception of Lukashenko, both for Poland and NATO countries. The recent attack by Russian drones demonstrates that the Lukashenko regime does not control the airspace over Belarus, which also constitutes a real military security threat, both for Belarus itself and for neighboring states. Lukashenko’s policies inflict enormous damage on the national interests of Belarus and undermine historically established good-neighborly relations between the Belarusian and Polish peoples. It is important for every Belarusian to understand this. Until the crisis created by Lukashenko’s policies is resolved, security threats will only continue to grow.

The Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and member of the Coordination Council, Pavel Latushka , held a meeting in the city of Wrocław with the Voivode of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Anna Żabska . During the meeting, the main topic of discussion was advocacy regarding the appeals of Belarusian citizens residing in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, concerning the resolution of problematic issues. First of all, the appeals concerned: acceleration of the procedure for reviewing and issuing a travel document; legalization of children born on the territory of Poland; questions regarding queues for submitting and reviewing applications of Belarusian citizens for legalization in the voivodeship; opening bank accounts for Belarusian citizens in the voivodeship; other issues related to the legalization of Belarusians. Pavel Latushka, as the head of the Belarusian part of the Working Group at the Ministry of Interior of Poland on the legalization of Belarusians in Poland, discussed with the Voivode possible issues that require resolution at the central government level of Poland, as well as problematic issues that can be resolved at the level of the voivodeship administration. The Voivode noted that local authorities have faced a significant influx of refugees,  primarily from Ukraine and Belarus, which has considerably increased the time required for processing the relevant documents. The representative of the Cabinet particularly emphasized  that Belarusians, unlike citizens of other countries, do not have the protection of their state, which does not provide them with legal documents: it does not issue new passports nor extend their validity, and it has limited the use of powers of attorney issued in Poland for obtaining documents in Belarus. This places Belarusian refugees in a particularly vulnerable position. Pavel Latushka noted that he will advocate for the resolution of problematic issues within the framework of the Working Group on legalization and during the upcoming first session of the inter-ministerial group on Belarusians in Poland, scheduled for October 13 of this year. The problematic issues were prepared jointly with the Wrocław Belarusian Community and formed during Pavel Latushka’s meeting with the Belarusian diaspora living in the region. The Chair of the Council of the Wrocław Belarusian Community also participated in the meeting. Separately, during the meeting with the Voivode, Pavel Latushka initiated discussion on the possible assistance to Belarusian political prisoners who are forced to leave Belarus or are being deported from their country. Pavel Latushka also informed about extraterritorial persecution of Belarusians living in Poland : hundreds of criminal cases initiated, aimed at persecuting Belarusians abroad, attempts at blackmail, recruitment, and persecution of relatives and close ones in Belarus. It is worth noting that in May 2024, Pavel Latushka had already met with the Voivode of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, and during the current meeting, a certain improvement in the situation regarding the issuance of documents for the legalization of Belarusians in the voivodeship was noted, while problematic issues requiring further resolution remain. During his stay in Wrocław, Pavel Latushka also held meetings with Jerzy Pankowski, Orthodox Archbishop of Wrocław and Szczecin, and with the head of the College of Eastern Europe, Laurynas Vaiciunas. Meeting with the Voivode: Results for Belarusians in Wrocław: On Thursday, September 4, Pavel Latushka held a meeting with Belarusians to discuss the main problems and issues concerning our community. People openly shared their stories about difficulties with documents, queues, work, and life in Poland, and also asked questions about the activities of democratic forces. On September 5, a second meeting was held — this time with the Voivode Hanna Zabka. The Community received an invitation from Mr. Pavel to participate in order to convey the voice of the diaspora. We came prepared:  we submitted to the Voivode two documents — Summary of the Main Problems of Belarusians  and a Checklist of Necessary Changes  — as well as the results of a survey  we conducted at the beginning of the year regarding the community’s needs with real examples and figures. During the meeting, the Chair of the Council, Syarzhuk Dubina, noted that the issuance of the Polish travel document (DP) takes 4–6 months instead of one month, even though the court mandated it to be done within a month. We described chaotic queues, which force people to stand overnight and place themselves on “informal lists.” We raised the issue of children born in Poland without documents and emphasized the need to have a ready plan in case political prisoners are released en masse. Meeting results: The Voivode agreed that it is necessary, on behalf of the DUW, to send letters to banks, institutions, and workplaces so that they recognize the travel document as a valid document. The Voivode acknowledged that the problem of children without documents exists and promised to make efforts to address this issue. The Voivode noted that in the event of mass release of political prisoners, this will be coordinated at the highest level, and her administration will be ready to assist — with housing, medical, and psychological support. Remaining issues: Obtaining prepared travel documents without reservation. Proposal to introduce specific days when it is possible to submit a full set of documents and immediately start printing. The Voivode noted that any informal lists of people in line are illegal, but no alternative solution has yet been found. However, we will continue to work on these proposals, supporting them with specific stories and examples, and call on interested parties to cooperate! On behalf of the Wrocław Belarusian Community, we are grateful to Pavel Latushka for the initiative and invitation to this meeting, as well as to the Voivode and her team for their openness to dialogue.

Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, member of the Coordination Council, Pavel Latushka , held a meeting with voters and other representatives of the Belarusian diaspora residing in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. The meeting was primarily focused on discussing problematic issues related to the legalization of Belarusians living in the city of Wrocław and the voivodeship. The main problem highlighted by Belarusians was the rather long processing time for obtaining travel documents for Belarusian citizens at the voivodeship office. Additionally, problematic issues concerning access to education and opening bank accounts were discussed. Pavel Latushka  provided information about the activities of the Coordination Council. Representatives of the diaspora emphasized the importance of maintaining this institution as a means of representing the interests of Belarusians abroad. Pavel Latushka  also spoke about the work of the National Anti-Crisis Management , aimed at holding Lukashenko accountable for crimes against the Belarusian people, crimes of aggression against Ukraine, and crimes against Ukrainian children, as well as implementing sanction policies. In response to Pavel Latushka ’s inquiry regarding the need to continue the strategy of pressure on the regime, the overwhelming majority of meeting participants expressed support for holding regime representatives accountable and increasing sanctions pressure. "Lukashenko must be held responsible for his crimes, and pressure must not ease until Lukashenko and his regime change their domestic and foreign policies" , the participants stressed. The meeting took place on the eve of a meeting with the Voivode, Hanna Zabska. An agreement was reached with the Belarusian diaspora that Belarusian citizens would submit questions that should be considered at the level of Poland’s central authorities. Pavel Latushka  requested that summarized proposals from Belarusian diaspora organizations operating in the voivodeship be submitted so that they could be discussed during the first meeting of the inter-ministerial group on Belarusian affairs in Poland, scheduled for October 13, 2025, and also addressed within the framework of the working group on Belarusian legalization issues under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland, which is chaired on the Belarusian side by Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Pavel Latushka . Pavel Latushka  held another meeting with representatives of the diaspora in Wrocław and the Lower Silesian Voivodeship to review the implementation of the problematic issues raised by Belarusians in Wrocław during the 2024 meeting. The interlocutors noted relatively positive progress on legalization issues, while emphasizing that the problem remains relevant, especially regarding the obtaining of travel documents in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.

Pavel Latushka spoke at the panel discussion "Forgotten Belarus"  as part of his participation in the 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz. During the discussion, the threats to European security posed by the pro-Russian Lukashenko regime were addressed, as well as the necessary actions to end repression in Belarus and the potential holding of a “Round Table” in Belarus. "Lukashenko’s hands are already on European soil. The regime continues to commit transnational crimes. This is a challenge for Europe, and in this matter, we rely not only on words of support but on concrete actions. Why, over the past five years, has no one among our Western partners, except Lithuania, been able to specifically support our actions to hold Lukashenko accountable for crimes against the Belarusian people? Lukashenko is a criminal; the law must work. It is also important for our European partners to understand that Belarusians are not Russians, and Belarus is not Russia. Investments should be made not only in securing state borders—whose importance is beyond doubt—but also in Belarusian society. The ‘Belarusian Balcony’ has strategic significance for Europe’s security. Failing to understand this will lead to a repeat of 2022. Therefore, concrete actions are already needed to support Belarusian society: opening passenger border crossings, issuing more visas, expanding educational and cultural programs, and carrying out active informational work". This was stated in his speech by Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Pavel Latushka . The panel discussion also included: Lithuanian Seimas deputy Emanuelis Zingeris , French National Assembly deputy Frédéric Petit , Director of the Center for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw Jan Malicki , and Coordinator Council speaker Artsiom Brukhan . The moderator was Alina Koushyk , Editor-in-Chief of Belsat . The National Anti-Crisis Management is an official institutional partner of the 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz.