Opposition politician says more to be done to help dissidents affected by Łukašenka’s ban on passport services abroad

September 4, Pozirk. One year after Alaksandar Łukašenka signed Edict No 278 banning Belarusian embassies from issuing passports, opposition initiatives managed to mitigate the effect on exiles but more has to be done, Pavieł Łatuška of the opposition transition cabinet has told Pozirk.

The edict affected those who fled the country fearing politically-motivated persecution. They can renew their passports only by appearing in person in Belarus and risking losing their freedom.

Belarusian people’s embassies with the transition cabinet’s assistance launched pashpart.org immediately after the publication of the edict, posting information on what affected persons can do in various countries, Łatuška said.

So far, Germany, Sweden and Austria have agreed to recognize the validity of expired Belarusian passports, while most of the European Union countries, the United States, South Korea and New Zealand have procedures for issuing IDs for Belarusians who cannot renew their passports, he added.

“We can’t, unfortunately, say that all Belarusians in all countries where they live have solved their passport issues,” the politician noted.

“Of course, we see different approaches in different countries. . . In Poland, one doesn’t have to prove the impossibility of visiting Belarus to obtain a travel document. . . . Other countries, such as Lithuania, have more complicated [procedures] because of national security protection.”

The number of Belarusians with expired passports will increase, and the opposition should continue working with its partners to simplify the issue of alternative IDs, he stressed.

Also read: Poland extends simplified rules for issue of travel IDs for Belarusians