DISINFO: Warsaw continues eyeing western Belarus as part of the Rzeczpospolita project
SUMMARY
The Polish authorities, represented by the state Institute of National Rememberance, promote the idea of restoring Rzeczpospolita. It would mean the annexation of Belarus’s western part to Poland. The issuing of the Cards of the Pole became a political gesture to mark the belonging of Belarus’s western territories to Poland. However, the Belarusian authorities managed to take the political initiative by introducing a visa-free entry for Polish nationals.
RESPONSE
This article promotes recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Polish imperial ambitions.
Our recent analysis is dedicated to recurring disinformation about alleged Polish dreams of imperialism towards Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and has no territorial claims upon Belarus, Ukraine, or other neighbouring countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.
The Institute of National Remembrance does not promote the idea of restoring Rzeczpospolita, contrary to the allegation made in the publication. When it comes to the "Cards of the Pole", they are issued to nationals of post-Soviet countries of Polish descent since 2008. The Belarusians holders of the "Cards of the Pole" can reside in any part of Belarus, not necessarily in its western part. Hence, the issuance of the Cards of the Pole cannot mark the belonging of Belarus’s western territories to Poland, as alleged.
See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, and that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire.
Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 13 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU.