The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Paweł Wroński, emphasized during a press briefing on Friday that the warning should be taken "as seriously as possible."
"Belarus is not a democratic country, nor is it friendly toward Poland," Wroński stated. "Polish citizens may face situations there that are not in their best interest."
The warning follows reports aired Thursday by Belarusian state television, which claimed that a Polish citizen had been detained for allegedly collecting intelligence on the ongoing Zapad joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus. Belarusian authorities have reportedly launched a criminal investigation into charges of espionage.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk strongly rejected the accusations, calling them "absurd," and stated that the case appears to be a politically motivated provocation.
At the afternoon briefing, Wroński reiterated that the Polish Foreign Ministry believes the incident is part of a broader disinformation campaign aimed at destabilizing Poland and bolstering Belarus’s image amid regional tensions.
"We assume that one of the goals of this evident provocation is to sow unrest in Poland and to reinforce Belarus's narrative regarding Ukraine," said Wroński. "We do not intend to participate in this kind of political theatre."
The spokesperson also confirmed that Poland is actively working to support the detained citizen, who is reportedly a religious figure, and that a Polish representative had been summoned to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Wroński declined to reveal details of the conversation but reiterated that Poland views the incident as a deliberate provocation.
Prime Minister Tusk further confirmed that diplomatic efforts are underway to secure the release of the Polish national. He also warned that retaliatory measures are being prepared if the situation remains unresolved.
The ongoing situation marks another low point in Polish-Belarusian relations, which have deteriorated sharply in recent years due to political repression in Belarus, its close alliance with Moscow, and ongoing hybrid threats targeting Poland and other EU member states.
(aj)
SOURCE: IAR