Andrzej Poczobut wants to come to Belarus before the Congress of the Union of Poles.
Павялічыць
Andrzej Poczobut. Photo: Andrzej Poczobut / Facebook
Journalist Andrzej Poczobut, recently released from a Belarusian prison, plans to return to Belarus by autumn 2026. He spoke about this on the “Troika” program of Polish Radio, writes REFORM.news.
Host Agnieszka Laskowska asked Andrzej Poczobut if he had decided on a date for his return to Belarus. To which he replied that he would return by the congress of the “Union of Poles in Belarus”.
“There are still a few unresolved issues, and only after resolving them will I be able to go. I have certain obligations, because great efforts were made for my release. Therefore, if I need to visit Brussels or some other place, I am, of course, ready to go there and talk about the situation I was in, and so on. But undoubtedly, I would like this to happen as soon as possible, to resolve all these issues as quickly as possible and go to Grodno. Without a doubt, I will return to Grodno before the Congress of the Union of Poles, which should take place in the near future — most likely in autumn. And by that congress, I should already be in Belarus. That’s the deadline,” Poczobut said.
The journalist clarified how he felt about the reproaches regarding his desire to return to Belarus.
— You say that great efforts were made for your release. And, I suppose, you have already heard the argument that proof of your gratitude for these efforts should be that you stay here, in Poland. What do you answer when you hear such words or read them online? — said Laskowska.
— The essence of the matter is that the condition for my departure was the possibility of returning to Belarus. If there had been no such possibility, I would not have accepted this offer. I intend to adhere to the agreements that were reached in Belarus in the context of this case.
For the Polish side, it was no surprise at all that I would want to return to Belarus. If it was only about my departure, it would have happened back in 2021, 2022, or 2023. The point was that my refusal to leave was what caused the case to drag on for so long.
Only after the involvement of American diplomacy, American diplomats, and the negotiations currently underway between Washington and Minsk, did the Belarusian regime agree that I could return to Belarus, that I could stay in Belarus. I understand that from a propaganda point of view, it was important for them to exchange me for someone. It was important for the Belarusian side to play this out somehow. But I did not ask for a pardon, I did not admit guilt, and my prison term was already coming to an end. I had a little over a year and a half left to spend in prison, — he replied.