27 October 2006
Roman Catholic believers petition Lukashenko over work permits for Polish priests, nuns

A group of Roman Catholic parishioners in the Grodno region have petitioned Aleksandr Lukashenko to reverse the authorities' decision to bar several Polish priests and nuns from working in Belarus.

The Committee on Religious and National Affairs under the Council of Ministers in August refused to renew work permits for seven priests and five nuns working in different parishes of the Grodno diocese, a source with the diocese told BelaPAN. The authorities explained that the Polish citizens held jobs that should be offered to Belarusian graduates of Roman Catholic seminaries in Grodno and Pinsk.

A petition in support of the Poles signed by a few thousand people was sent to the Grodno regional government in September, but the latter produced no reaction.

Aleksandr Kashkevich, bishop of the Grodno diocese, called on Catholic believers earlier this month to pray for all priests and nuns working in the diocese.