DISINFO: Poland and Lithuania directly sponsor open extremist actions against Belarus
SUMMARY
Instead of normal dialogue and respect, Belarus faces insolent attempts from Poland and Lithuania to push their interests – these countries clearly interfere in the domestic affairs of Belarus, ignoring its sovereign rights and directly sponsoring open extremist challenges and actions [against Belarus].
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus and to disrupt Belarusian-Russian relations. The claims that Poland and Lithuania are trying to “organise a colour revolution in Belarus” or they “openly support extremist actions against Belarus” is a conspiracy theory. Lithuania and Poland are neighbours of Belarus and continue to support the Belarusian people. On August 14, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki presented the so-called “Solidarity Plan”, which is aimed at supporting Belarusian society, which faces harsh repressions from the side of the Belarusian authorities. This Plan has five components – support for people facing political repressions; a scholarship programme; better access to the Polish labour market; support to independent media; support to Belarusian NGOs. These steps have no connection to the alleged “active interference in the domestic affairs of Belarus”. The same can be said of the European Union, who has also stated that the elections were neither free nor fair and on 2 October 2020, imposed restrictive measures against 40 individuals identified as responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, opposition members and journalists in the wake of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process. Poland respects the principles of international law and does not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country. See other examples of similar messages: The West supports a bloody post-election Maidan scenario in Belarus; The West wants to prepare Maidan in Belarus and Poland presented a plan of active interference in the domestic affairs of Belarus.