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Pavel Latushka. Photo: UTC Media Details of the court hearing in the case of the attack on Pavel Latushka have become known. Here is what the politician himself said: "The District Court for Warsaw-Śródmieście informed me that on 5 March 2026 a hearing will take place to consider the bill of indictment submitted by the District Prosecutor’s Office of Warsaw, seeking a verdict in the case of Yauhen Kazantsev. This concerns the attack committed on 2 July 2025 during an official event marking the 35th anniversary of the Centre for East European Studies of the University of Warsaw. Yauhen Kazantsev during his detention. Warsaw, Poland, 2025. Photo: Reform.news Yauhen Kazantsev has been charged under Article 212 §1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Poland (defamation), as well as Article 217 §1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Poland (violation of physical integrity). The attack took place against the background of threats to my life and health that had been received earlier in written correspondence, as well as immediately after disinformation statements publicly disseminated by the dictator Lukashenko on 1 July 2025 concerning me".

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. "I am Belarusian and proud of it.  I can open my soul to everyone:  Never and nowhere will I renounce  The fact that I lived and will live as a Belarusian!" With these lines from the poem "I am Belarusian" by the famous Belarusian from the Podlasie region, Viktar Shved , Pavel Latushka , Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and delegate of the Coordination Council, opened his speech during the gala concert of "Belarusian Song — 2026" in Białystok. Poland, Białystok, 2026. Photo: NAM-media The festival and gala concert "Belarusian Song — 2026"  were organized by the Belarusian Social and Cultural Association in Poland. During his speech, Pavel Latushka  emphasized that Belarusians have lived in the Podlasie region for centuries and are an integral part of Polish society. He noted it is extremely important that they remember their Heritage: their roots, their home, and where they come from; that they preserve traditions, love for their native land, and their mother language. The Deputy Head of the Cabinet thanked the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of Poland, the Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, and the Mayor of Białystok for their support of Belarusian culture in Podlasie, while stating: "I hope that as soon as possible, the Polish minority in a free Belarus will have the opportunity to develop and preserve its own culture." Pavel Latushka  recalled that he first came here 30 years ago, in the summer of 1996, as a young vice-consul: "That was when I first visited the holy Mount Grabarka — it was my first trip outside of Białystok. Later, I visited here as an Ambassador and as the Minister of Culture of Belarus, but more importantly, simply as a Belarusian. Thanks to you, I felt the importance of 'Belarusianness' even more deeply. You were and remain an example for me of how one should love the native word and native culture." Pavel Latushka  established a financial award for one of the winners of the XXXIII All-Polish Festival "Belarusian Song — 2026," which was presented to Viktoryja Gac , a talented young woman from Bielsk Podlaski. She won first place at the festival with her original song,  "Our History" . On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Belarusian Social and Cultural Association — the oldest organization of the Belarusian minority in Europe  — Pavel Latushka  expressed sincere gratitude to its representatives for their work in the field of Belarusian heritage: "For decades, you have preserved our identity and inspired thousands of Belarusians not to forget their native language and culture." In his welcoming remarks, Pavel Latushka  emphasized: "It is extremely important that Belarusian culture in the Białystok region does not merely remain a memory, but continues to live. It is being passed on to the younger generation, and the Belarusian folklore movement is flourishing, uniting the past with the future. 'The Belarusian has lived and shall live!' wrote the Belarusian bard Yanka Kupala. And we will live as long as our culture lives. I thank you for the fact that Belarusian culture has lived with dignity on Polish soil for centuries and enriches Polish society, filling our hearts with spirituality and warmth."

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: facebook.com/zelenskyy.official On 18 February 2026, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree introducing personal sanctions against Aleksandr Lukashenko. Earlier, sanctions against Lukashenko had already been imposed by the European Union, the United States, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, and New Zealand. As noted by the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Pavel Latushka:"Ukraine’s sanctions personally against Lukashenka are an important political signal to the regime, as well as a sign of support for the activities of the democratic forces aimed at achieving democratic change in Belarus. Ukraine once again confirms that this person is not the lawful and legitimate President of Belarus. The Ukrainian side also recognises his role in crimes committed by him personally and by representatives of his regime, including the crime of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity". Pavel Latushka also stressed that Ukraine officially confirms the involvement of officials of the Lukashenka regime and the dictator himself in the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children. The National Anti-Crisis Management had previously submitted two relevant communications with a large body of evidence to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. "We have also collected and, with the assistance of our Lithuanian partners, transferred materials to bring Lukashenka to justice for crimes against humanity, and we are now consolidating relevant materials proving the involvement of the Lukashenka regime in aggression against Ukraine for the special tribunal that is being established", Pavel Latushka noted. In addition, the Ukrainian side points to several other factors justifying sanctions against the dictator. Among them is the participation of more than 3,000 Belarusian enterprises in cooperation with the Russian military-industrial complex. It is also specifically noted that in the second half of 2025, infrastructure for controlling strike drones was deployed, which is used to coordinate attacks on Ukrainian territory. Kyiv also points to supplies of Western components and other equipment through Belarus that may be used for military purposes in circumvention of sanctions restrictions. As early as 9 September 2024, Pavel Latushka sent a relevant appeal to the Adviser and Commissioner of the President of Ukraine on sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, proposing support for the harmonisation of trade sanctions against the Lukashenka regime and Russia. As Pavel Latushka stated today:"Vladyslav Vlasiuk publicly supported the idea of bringing closer sanctions approaches toward the two regimes. In addition, among the measures we proposed to the Ukrainian side are strengthening transit restrictions and expanding trade sanctions. We will initiate and submit to the Ukrainian side proposals on introducing additional sanctions against the Lukashenka regime, and we are also interested in cooperation to lobby for relevant sanctions decisions within the European Union. Regarding the deployment in Belarus of the intermediate-range missiles ‘Oreshnik’, we, like the Ukrainian side, believe that such actions increase regional security threats and make Belarus a target for a possible retaliatory strike", the Belarusian politician noted. "We are interested in expanding cooperation with official Kyiv on achieving accountability for Lukashenka for the war crime of the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children, for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, and we also count on support for our efforts to ensure accountability for crimes against humanity within the framework of the International Criminal Court, taking into account that Ukraine is already a member of the ICC", Pavel Latushka concluded.

The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus considers it necessary to provide a principled political assessment of recent statements by official representatives of the Russian Federation, which may indicate preparations for the final elimination of our country’s sovereignty. Public remarks by the Press Bureau of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia on February 9 and by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Maria Zakharova, on February 12, 2026, contain undisguised threats to use " all available forces and means ",  including the nuclear arsenal, to control the internal political situation in the Republic of Belarus. The Russian side’s assertion that it will " not stand idly by "  while political processes unfold in our state constitutes a direct threat to national security and signals the Kremlin’s shift toward a policy of open dictate. Such statements represent a blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus and an unprecedented signal of Russia’s complete disregard for the sovereign right of the Belarusian people to determine their own future. By arrogating to itself the authority to assess the legitimacy of Belarusian political actors and the effectiveness of the “cleansing” of civil society, Moscow demonstrates that it views Belarus not as an independent state, but as its own military foothold and a zone of occupation-based influence. We emphasize: it is precisely the imperial policy of the Russian Federation and its determination to entrench Belarus in the status of a rightless satellite that today constitute the principal threat to our country’s sovereignty and independence. Years of the Aliaksandr Lukashenko regime's policies detrimental to the people have brought Belarus to this critical brink. In order to retain personal power, he has deliberately and systematically traded away state sovereignty, allowed foreign intelligence services to influence matters of internal security, and turned Belarus into a hostage of the Kremlin’s aggressive plans. The current situation — in which the fate of Belarusian elections and the constitutional order is openly discussed in the offices of Russian security structures — is the direct result of Lukashenko’s betrayal of national interests. At a time when the Russian Federation is expressing an active intention to interfere in Belarus’s internal affairs, including by military means, the United Transitional Cabinet reaffirms its unwavering position: the only effective response to external aggression can be internal unity and the restoration of the Belarusian people’s political agency. We once again call on representatives of the functioning Belarusian authorities who recognize the existential threat of losing statehood to begin a constructive dialogue in the format of a Round Table. A way out of the deep political crisis, an end to repression, and a return to the rule of law are necessary steps toward creating a unified national front to defend the independence of the Republic of Belarus. The future of our state must be determined exclusively by the citizens of Belarus within democratic procedures. Any attempts at foreign interference under the guise of " security guarantees "  are in fact acts of aggression, and those who facilitate such interference must be held accountable. Long live Belarus! Warsaw, February 12, 2026

Pavel Latushka. Photo: UTC "When Belarusians determine their own destiny, the Kremlin loses the pseudo-legal pretexts for interfering in the internal affairs of Belarus — pretexts created with the support of the dictator Lukashenko,"  noted Pavel Latushka , Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the NAM, while commenting on the Cabinet's adopted statement regarding the aggressive intentions of the Russian Federation to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus. "The sovereignty of Belarus is not a bargaining chip between Lukashenko and Moscow, which remains the primary source of threat to our sovereignty. The fate of Belarus must be determined by Belarusians. Today, Russia is not a 'guarantor,' but the main threat to our independence. The statements by the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation regarding the use of 'all means', including threats of nuclear weapons, to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus are unacceptable and impermissible. However, the blame for this situation lies with Lukashenko: for the sake of retaining power, he signed treasonous agreements that give the Kremlin a formal 'hook' for nuclear blackmail and the deployment of troops. In our statement, we address three main audiences: Belarusian Society.  We must soberly understand: the threat of losing statehood is extremely acute. And it does not come from the West, but from the East. The International Community.  We are documenting this act of Russia’s aggressive policy so that our partners understand: any potential steps by the Kremlin to 'stabilize' the situation in Belarus constitute interference in our country's internal affairs. The Functional Belarusian Authorities.  Those within the system who still retain remnants of state-oriented thinking. We are showing them: Lukashenko is leading our country toward the loss of statehood, and they themselves toward the status of collaborators in a Russian province. The only way to avoid this is through national dialogue using the instrument of a Round Table . According to closed research data, the idea of a Round Table was supported by 44% of Belarusians at the very beginning of our communication. Today, as the topic becomes more prominent in the information space, this figure will certainly grow. Belarusians want a peaceful exit from the crisis. It is logical to view the recent statements by the SVR and Zakharova as, in part, an indirect reaction to our idea. For our eastern neighbor, it is unacceptable for Belarusians to reach an agreement among themselves. Because when Belarusians determine their own destiny, the Kremlin loses the pseudo-legal pretexts for interference created with the support of the dictator Lukashenko. The 'security guarantees' agreement signed by Lukashenko will not function in the event of an internal political agreement. The Round Table is not just a 'conversation,' but effectively a powerful technology for defending our sovereignty. An agreement within Belarusian society provides Russia with significantly fewer pretexts for an armed intervention on Belarusian territory — an intervention whose possibility was formalized in the so-called 'security guarantees' treaty between Belarus and Russia," stated Pavel Latushka .

Theses of the speech by Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and recipient of the Lech Wałęsa Solidarity Prize, at the official events during the award ceremony of the Poland–Lithuania Cooperation and Dialogue Forum and the Jerzy Giedroyc Dialogue and Cooperation Forum. Ladies and Gentlemen! Your Excellencies! Distinguished organizers and members of the Chapter! Dear laureates and friends! This year has been declared the Year of Jerzy Giedroyc by the Senate of Poland. This is not merely a tribute to the memory of a great thinker; it is a moment of truth for our entire region. For us Belarusians, Jerzy Giedroyc is particularly close — for he was born in our native Minsk, and his vision of a free Belarus was an integral part of his European dream. Jerzy Giedroyc said that without a free Ukraine, Lithuania, and Belarus, there is no free Poland. Today, in the Year of Giedroyc, these words resonate like a prophecy. The expansion of this award to scholars and researchers from Belarus during this difficult time for my country is a signal that the Europe of Giedroyc does not end at the Bug River. Belarus is not the dictator; it is the people who choose Europe. Thank you for your solidarity, which is our most powerful common weapon. Giedroyc dreamed of a space of freedom where Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine are not just neighbors, but a single geopolitical organism united by common values. Today, we see how Ukraine is paying in blood for this dream. As the former Permanent Representative of Belarus to UNESCO, I will never forget the emotions I felt when visiting Giedroyc’s home in Maisons-Laffitte near Paris — the moment I first held the legendary "Kultura" in my hands. It was a great honor for me to personally know past laureates of this Prize — Their Excellencies President Lech Kaczyński and President Valdas Adamkus. These are leaders whose visionary leadership continues to demonstrate to us the importance of freedom today. For the first time this year, this prize has been extended to representatives of democratic Belarus. I sincerely congratulate Professor Alyaksandr Smalyanchuk. Mr. Smalyanchuk, your work in reclaiming our true history is the foundation of our dignity. Your award is a sign that Belarus is Europe, and Europe recognizes this, refusing to accept a new "Iron Curtain" along the Bug. Dear friends! As a laureate of the Lech Wałęsa Prize — the legendary leader of "Solidarity" and a man who played a leading role in the dismantling of the communist empire in Europe — I believe in the power of unity and collective resistance. Today, we need solidarity more than ever. We understand: as long as Belarus remains in the hands of a dictator, the security of the entire region will be under threat. But Belarus is not Lukashenko. Belarus is the people who, in 2020, made their irreversible European choice. Maciej Radziwiłł, who has also received this award, knows: our nations have always triumphed when they stood together. We are the descendants of the Grand Duchy and the Rzeczpospolita. Our intellectual code is freedom. Thank you, Poland and Lithuania, for your faithfulness to the testament of Giedroyc. We will return Belarus to our common European home. There is no other way. Long Live Belarus! For our freedom and yours! Glory to Ukraine!

Illustrative photo "We are making efforts to ensure that all cases are resolved fairly and in accordance with current regulations, while simultaneously seeking solutions to improve the performance of our services,"  states the official response from the Podlaskie Voivodeship Office to the appeal by Pavel Latushka , Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the NAM. In his appeal, he highlighted alarming signals from Belarusians regarding a significant slowdown in the processes for legalizing their stay in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. In his appeal to the Podlaskie Voivodeship Office, Pavel Latushka  emphasized that according to official data published on the migracje.gov.pl   portal at the end of January 2026, there is a sharp decline in the number of decisions issued regarding the legalization of stay in Poland's Podlaskie Voivodeship.  For example, while Belarusian citizens received approximately 6.3 thousand residence permits in Białystok in 2023, this number dropped to fewer than 2 thousand in 2025 . It was also noted that according to public information, at the end of 2025, the Office was processing applications submitted as far back as February 2025, and the waiting time just for an invitation to submit fingerprints now exceeds one year. "For many Belarusian citizens fleeing repression and seeking safe haven in Poland, such prolonged legal uncertainty is an enormous life burden," Pavel Latushka  noted in the appeal. The Deputy Head of the Cabinet emphasized that this situation is causing particular concern within the Belarusian community. He presented the Podlaskie Voivode with a petition signed by more than 550 people expressing deep concern over the crisis in the field of services for foreigners. In its response, the Podlaskie Voivodeship Office noted: "The Voivode takes the challenges you presented with the utmost seriousness. The difficult procedural situation is the result of a significant increase in the number of applications in recent years, which places a heavy burden on the Office... I wish to assure you that the Bureau of the Podlaskie Voivode remains at your disposal regarding the provision of information and clarification of current issues related to administrative procedures." "I am grateful to the Polish side for their openness and communication regarding complex issues, especially in the area of legalizing Belarusians in Poland who were forced to leave Belarus due to the repressive domestic policies of the Lukashenko regime. We will continue communication with both the central authorities of Poland and local ones to advocate for the swiftest possible resolution of the problematic issues Belarusians face in Poland today," noted Pavel Latushka .

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. Watch the full interview of Pavel Latushka with Deutsche Welle Belarus in the video . "First, the regime must begin a dialogue with society, with democratic forces. Only then can we speak of any agreements between Brussels and Minsk,"  stated the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the NAM, Pavel Latushka , in an interview with the German broadcaster "Deutsche Welle Belarus" during a visit to Berlin. "Lukashenko only understands the language of force, and he reacts only when there is genuine pressure that personally affects him, his ego, and, certainly, the economy. The fact that hundreds of political prisoners have been released recently is largely the result of the sanctions resource that has been accumulated over the years... Pressure in itself is necessary, and it is already working. I am convinced that it is primarily what will influence the release of subsequent groups of political prisoners." Regarding possible negotiations between the EU and the Lukashenko regime, Pavel Latushka  noted: "Lukashenko has made deals before, and in exchange, the European Union moved toward softening its policy and lifting sanctions in return for a degree of liberalization. But Lukashenko has always unilaterally violated these agreements. This has happened at least five times in the history of his regime's existence. It is impossible to trust him. He is a person who will deceive once again. Therefore, Belarusian society must be included in this process: civil structures and democratic forces, who will act as a guarantor that this time Lukashenko will not succeed in deceiving the EU." Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Pavel Latushka at a meeting with the NAM team. Warsaw, 2026. Photo: NAM Media "We propose a two-track strategy. On one hand, we understand and highly value what the US is doing. They are securing the release of people, saving lives. This is the most important task for us. It is vital that the US continues this communication, releases all political prisoners, and achieves an end to the repressions. Meanwhile, the European Union, in response to Lukashenko's intentions regarding the normalization of relations, must set conditions. First, the regime must start a dialogue with society and democratic forces. Only then can we speak about any agreements between Brussels and Minsk. No agreements should be allowed without our participation. We are a stakeholder. We have earned this right, and we will defend it,"  emphasized Pavel Latushka . During the interview, Pavel Latushka  also noted the importance of Germany and leading EU countries supporting the idea of a national dialogue in Belarus through the instrument of a "round table" to exit the deep internal political crisis. He highlighted that there are positive examples of using such an instrument in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Portugal, and other countries. "It is impossible to simply copy a situation and transfer it to today's reality. But if such a lobbyist — a powerful state like Germany — proposes such an approach, or if you will, a condition, for the Lukashenko regime, it will be very difficult for the regime to refuse,"  noted Pavel Latushka .

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. For the past several years, we have lived in a state of confrontation. A confrontation that simply would not exist if one person had not decided that his power was worth any sacrifice — mass terror, a split in society, the destruction of normal relations with all neighbors except Russia, complicity in war, isolation, and economic stagnation. And today, looking at the state Belarus is in, we must ask ourselves one honest question: where has this led? Has anyone's life improved? Has the state become stronger? Has the people become happier? The answer is obvious. The crisis does not resolve itself — it only deepens, dragging the country into a whirlpool from which it will be harder to escape with each passing year. At the same time, it is important to understand that we did not attack first. We were defending the right of Belarusians to be masters of their own land. Just as in 2020, we initially proposed a dialogue. Back then, the system responded with violence and terror, choosing the path of force. But look at the result: where has it led? To isolation? To the loss of sovereignty to Moscow? To a constant fear of one's own people? Even today, after everything that has happened, we are not attacking. Once again, as we did five years ago, we are proposing a dialogue. And this is not a sign of weakness — it is a sign of responsibility for the future of Belarus. That is precisely why today I want to ask several questions to those who are inside the current system of power. To those who make decisions daily in ministerial offices or carry out orders in the security structures.

Pavel Latushka. Photo: NAM-media The former political prisoner wrote  on his Facebook page about his acquaintance with the former Minister of Culture, former Director of the Kupalauski Theater, and current Deputy to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. "Pavel Latushka was Belarusian from the very beginning, not Lukashenka's," he writes. Original article: nashaniva.com "In the early 2000s, at a diplomatic reception in Minsk, I — then the chairman of the Malady Front — approached Pavel Latushka . I knew that he was perhaps the only prominent civil servant who consistently spoke Belarusian on principle. I thanked him for his 'Belarusianness' and asked if he hoped to change the Lukashenko system from within. Pavel Latushka  replied that we all dream of the same independent, democratic, and Belarusian Belarus, and that he was trying to pursue that path. Screenshot of the post published on Pavel Seviarynets' personal page 'Pash, how can you support a former Lukashenko official?' people sometimes say to me now. But Pavel Latushka  was Belarusian from the very beginning, not Lukashenka's. Like the national-communists of the 1920s, Pavel Latushka  did everything he could for Belarus from within the system — dignifiedly representing Belarus in countries around the world and international organizations in the Belarusian language, pushing through the grand 'Castles of Belarus' program, and saving Belarusian culture from the Soviet mentality and Moscow. The Kupalauski Theater in August 2020. Photo source: Nasha Niva In 2020, it was Pavel Latushka  who raised the flag to unite all officials who disagreed with Lukashenko — and that flag, of course, was the white-red-white. He went through threats, assassination attempts, and provocations — and continues to unite Belarusian proto-state structures as a high-class team player. For Pavel Latushka , 'team' is a key concept, and for Belarusians, that is a valuable rarity. Over several years, Pavel Latushka  has gathered a team of specialists capable of replacing the core of the state apparatus of Belarus when a 'window of opportunity' opens. And I believe there is currently no better alternative for the position of the first Prime Minister of a free, democratic, and independent Belarus,"  wrote Pavel Seviarynets.

Pavel Latushka. Source: racyja.com  Original article: racyja.com "This is a unique situation: thanks to the fact that Belarusians voted and elected the Coordination Council in 2024, we gained the opportunity to have our own official delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), as well as to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe — consisting of 6 people each. They work at all sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress. Effectively, representatives from more than 40 European countries are present there,"   noted Pavel Latushka , Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and member of the Coordination Council delegation to PACE, in an interview with Radio Racyja. Pavel Latushka noted: "This provides the opportunity to influence the decisions adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and also to raise Belarusian issues." The member of the Coordination Council delegation to PACE recalled that during the last session in which he participated, a special resolution was adopted concerning the security of the European continent: "In the memorandum to this resolution, it will be written in red letters, as a recurring theme, that the Special Tribunal on the responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine is created to hold Russian and Belarusian representatives accountable specifically for crimes against Ukraine. It also contains words stating that Russia's military aggression, carried out with the participation of the Lukashenko regime, has led to the increased brutality of these two regimes." "I am citing these quotes because now there will effectively be no document in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe regarding the situation in Ukraine that does not mention the role of Lukashenko. This is due to the fact that in April 2025, we managed to include in a PACE resolution the specific phrasing that the so-called 'top military-political leadership of Belarus led by Lukashenko' bears responsibility for the crimes of aggression,"  Pavel Latushka concluded. Pavel Latushka also emphasized that at the moment, the NAM  (National Anti-Crisis Management) continues to collect evidence for the Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Furthermore, Pavel Latushka noted that this issue is his area of responsibility within the United Transitional Cabinet, and as a delegate to PACE, he will constantly raise this issue before colleagues from the parliaments of the Council of Europe member states.

Illustrative photo On February 3, the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka sent a repeated appeal to the Chairman of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) Jacek Jastrzębski with a request for a possible response to the situation with problematic issues regarding the opening of bank accounts for Belarusian citizens residing in Poland. Pavel Latushka informed the KNF leadership that, despite previously provided explanations (KNF letter dated January 26, 2026), according to information received from Belarusian citizens, Millennium Bank continues to refuse Belarusians the opening of accounts on the basis of a temporary foreigner's identity certificate (TZTC). The letter lists specific bank branches where cases of refusal to open accounts occurred. Such practice also takes place in other banks. At the same time, a number of banks (including PKO Bank Polski) have been blocking access to electronic and mobile banking, cards, and online payments for Belarusian citizens who are legally residing in the EU since October 2025, which effectively restricts their ability to manage their own funds, earnings, and scholarships. The appeal emphasizes that such measures are not provided for by EU sanctions legislation and constitute over-compliance. Pavel Latushka appealed to the KNF with a request to conduct additional communication with banking institutions and provide possible explanations in order to grant Belarusians access to financial services. A detailed legal opinion with legal analysis and proposals for resolving the situation is attached to the letter. Also, the problem of opening accounts was raised on February 3 in Warsaw during Pavel Latushka's meeting with representatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service. During the meeting, Pavel Latushka conveyed an appeal addressed to the Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union of the European Commission (FISMA) with a request to provide clarifications for European financial institutions regarding the latest EU sanctions package against the Lukashenko regime. The letter emphasizes that the new restrictions were directed against the Lukashenko regime and related structures (the Republic of Belarus, its government, state bodies and institutions, persons acting on behalf of or at the request of the aforementioned entities), however, in practice, some banks in the EU interpret them too broadly and block private individuals' access to electronic and mobile banking, payment cards, and their own funds. As a result, Belarusians not connected with the regime, who are awaiting legalization, legally working or studying in the EU, are deprived of basic financial services and the ability to use their earnings and scholarships. In this regard, it was proposed to issue a clarification or, if necessary, introduce targeted amendments to the EU regulation to guarantee access to retail banking services for Belarusian citizens.