Two catholic priests expelled from Belarus
The Belarusian authorities didn't give permission for two foreign priests to serve in Belarusian Roman Catholic churches.
“Priest RomanSzulc from Mahilou won't continue his service. A Franciscan priest from Ivianets didn't receive permission to serve,” Interfax quotes Archbishop of the Minsk-Mahileu Metropolitan TadeuszKondrusiewicz as saying to journalists.
“They were denied visas. The authorities didn't give the reason. They said to find other priests,” Kondrusiewicz said. “We are looking for other candidates,” the Archbishop said.
According to him, the investigation of the criminal case against Belarusian priest UladzislauLazar has not been completed yet.
“The investigation hasn't been completed. He is not in custody,” Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz said.
“We don't now how the situation will develop, but he can perform his functions now and meets with believers every day, but the investigation is under way,” the Archbishop noted.
On December 3, 2013, the pre-trial restrictions for priest Lazar, who is accused of treason (part 1 of article 356 of the Criminal Code) were changed. He was freed on his own recognizance.
Lukashenka said in late July 2013 that an officer of the Belarusian security services had been detained for working for foreign states.
