Warsaw slams painting-over of Polish-themed mural in Belarus
March 1, BPN. Minsk’s order to paint over a church mural depicting the Red Army’s defeat by the Poles in 1920 is incompatible with the civilized world standards, the Polish foreign ministry said.
“We condemn the destruction of the Polish cultural heritage in Belarus by [Alaksandr] Łukašenka’s regime,” its spokesman Łukasz Jasina tweeted, noting that the mural was also an integral part of the Belarusian history.
The mural, in the Catholic church in Soły, Hrodna region, was painted over on February 28, a source told BPN.
Last January, Belarus 1, a state-run television channel, lashed out at the parish’s priest, Leanard Stankoŭski, claiming that the mural incited hatred and that Catholic priests wanted to return Western Belarus under Poland’s control.
Prominent Belarusian artist Piotr Sierhievič painted the mural in the late 1930s. Later, Soviet authorities painted it over. The mural was restored and consecrated after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Belarusian-Polish relations have soured in that last few years as Belarusian authorities continue persecuting Polish minority activists. Last year, Belarusian authorities bulldozed several Polish military cemeteries.
In February, Warsaw closed the major crossing after a Belarusian court sentenced a reporter of Polish origin, Andrzej Poczobut, to eight years in prison on charges widely believed to be politically motivated.
- Economy
- PoliticsBelarus’ envoy discusses expanding ties with CubaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBiełstat: foreign investment down 10 percent in 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyHealth ministry raises salary bonuses for nursesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, Society
- PoliticsReprisals: authorities targeted journalists on 760 occasions in 2023-2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Society
- Politics, SecurityOpposition faction calls for negotiations to exchange two former Belarusian soldiers in UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelPol concerned about Belarusian business executives’ planned visit to ItalyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus slides in corruption perception rankingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyMore Belarusians arrested for offenses in PolandThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLebanese president planning to visit MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyUkraine to terminate communications deal with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsProminent fitness coach Navažyłava to stand trial over postelection protestsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarusian diplomat says Trump’s decisions to affect UNThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Economy
- Economy
- Politics
- PoliticsBelarus' top diplomat in Lebanon after it forms new governmentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEU advisory body to help organize a series of Belarus-themed eventsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus to negotiate double tax treaty with JordanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: ex-prisoner sounds alarm over health of women jailed over politicsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, PoliticsEU not to recognize Łukašenka, Cichanoŭskaja says after Brussels meetingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SecurityAttack drone incursions, explosions reported in southern BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus reports hike in trade deficit for 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŠarenda-Panasiuk says journalist Andrejeva was beaten by security officers in penal colonyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics