Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland made an official statement in response to the deportation of its diplomat from Belarus

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIA) of Poland released on 20 July an official statement in response to the Belarusian authorities declaring a persona non grata the head of the consular department of the Polish Embassy in Minsk Andrzej Buczak, reported Radio Liberty. Poland's MIA underscored that this decision of the Belarusian authorities will, first of all, have poor consequences to the citizens of Belarus, because it "will make more complicated obtaining required documents for travel in Poland".
The statement negatively evaluates the steps that the Belarusian authorities have been recently taking against Poland and the Polish community in Belarus instead of trying to resolve the conflict caused by the reprisals against the Union of Poles in Belarus. The Polish Foreign Office refers to explanation of the deportation of Andrzej Buchak by the Belarusian authorities as a response to the deportation of the Belarusian diplomat Maxim Ryzhankou as "cynical manipulation".
"MIA reminds that the decision to expel Mr. Ryzhankou was a forced measure because before that the Belarusian authorities had expelled Marek Butska, an advisor of the Polish Embassy in Minsk. It should be noted that the case quoted by the Belarusian side, which is the earlier agreed deportation of the official representative of KGB in Belarus Mr. H.Katovich who was involved with activities beyond his status, should not be taken into account according to the international practice", says the statement.
"The recall of the head of the consular department may not fail to influence the appropriateness of the visa service and simplification of travel in Poland", underscores Polish MIA.
The Foreign Office of Poland notes that it will act on the reciprocity principle, however it hopes the limitations caused by the actions of the Belarusian authorities will not affect the contacts between the Poles and the Belarusians.
The Polish MIA also underscores that in its policy to the representatives of the Belarusian minority in this country the government of Poland will continue to be guided by the principles established in the appropriate documents and practices of UN, Council of Europe and OSCE.