Thirty years ago, the Republic of Belarus declared its independence as a sovereign state. That same day, 27 December 1991, Poland immediately recognised Belarus, fully acknowledging the Belarusian people’s right and aspirations to freely and independently decide their own fate. Poland, because of its historical experience, understands all too well the importance of having an independent state of one’s own as well as the effort it requires to build one.

Good neighbourly relations have always been a cornerstone of Polish foreign policy. As our bilateral relations have developed, Poland has been guided by a spirit of respect for the Belarusian state and its people. We have supported the people of Belarus  as they built a sovereign and independent state of their own, economically vibrant and free from foreign influence. We have always had deep understanding of Belarusian society’s democratic aspirations and desire to forge a national identity, while still respecting our region’s multicultural heritage.

We believe that neighbouring nations should respect each other, working together in good times and helping each other in hard times. This is what Poles and Belarusians have done for years. Over the past three decades, the two countries have deepened their social, cultural, and economic ties. We have visited and gotten to know each other. Even as our countries have followed different political paths, we have built up a shared store of social capital.

The policies that Poland has pursued in the thirty years since it officially recognised the state of Belarus will continue in today’s more difficult times, when Belarusians have been effectively deprived of their voice and an opportunity to express their views in a peaceful and democratic way. Poland will always stand behind our Belarusian friends, both those who have decided to remain in their motherland and those who have been forced into what we strongly believe is only a temporary emigration.

On the 30th anniversary of Belarus’s independence, we wish to extend our assurances that Poland will continue to stand by the people of Belarus. We will work together to ensure their desire for democratic transformation is respected and to help them build an independent Belarusian state, our friend and neighbour.

 

Łukasz Jasina
MFA Press Spokesperson