A round table discussion held in Hrodna was attended by representatives of six groups representing national minorities. They unanimously supported the members of the Union of Poles in Belarus
This is the information provided by www.belngo.info. The round table discussion centered around the situation around the UPB and the Belarusian authorities. The discussion revealed that representatives of the public association Society of Belarusian Chuvashes, the organization of Lithuanians Tevine, the Jewish community Minora and the Russian Association, and also the public association of Tartars of Hrodna experience certain problems in their relations with the authorities. So, the head of the Lithuanian group Alhimantas Dzirhinchus stated that after they refused to take part in the Festival of National Cultures last year, they started having problems with the taxation agencies. Aliena Kutsevich, the representative of the Jewish community, said that the authorities do not assist the restoration of the Hrodna synagogue. Aliaxandr Krynitski, leader of the public association of Tartars, summed up all of the grievances: "We are maltreated by the state. They only remember about use once every two years, when the authorities want to hold a Festival of National Cultures…".