MFA concerned over desecration of Polish memorials in Belarus

Poland's foreign ministry has raised concerns over the increasing number of acts of vandalism against Polish memorial sites in Belarus.

"These attacks have occurred mainly in the area of the Grodno region, where there are about 550 resting places of Polish soldiers, participants of national uprisings, and defenders of Grodno," the Foreign Ministry (MFA) wrote in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, unknown perpetrators have recently destroyed Polish tombstones and memorials in several locations in the area.

The MFA said it "strongly condemns... the local authorities' consent to such practices... fostered by a highly slanderous anti-Polish campaign conducted by the Belarusian media."

The ministry has also appealed to the Belarusian authorities "to immediately stop acts of vandalism in cemeteries" and punish the perpetrators.

"Poland strongly demands respect for the graves and memorials of the deceased. This issue, in line with international standards, should be completely excluded from current political disputes," the statement said.