Polish Special Services Coordinator Tells Details Of Andrzej Poczobut's Exchange
- 29.04.2026, 10:47
Poland was not sure until the end that the journalist would be released.
Polish Special Services Coordinating Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told on TVPinfo how the the exchange on the Polish-Belarusian border that resulted in the release of the leader of the Union of Poles in Belarus, journalist Andrzej Poczobut, on Tuesday.
- This exchange was very likely because it involved more countries than just Poland and Belarus. However, in such situations, there is never a certainty that nothing will be derailed, that Lukashenko will not call and say, "We are not doing this because...". This has happened before, when we were very close to the exchange," Tomasz Semoniak said.
The negotiations, according to Semoniak, lasted several weeks:
- Everything had to be carefully prepared on both sides. Citizens of other states were also involved in this exchange - they had to be brought to the border. Everything was coordinated in detail by our services," he added.
- Before 13:00, when everything was to begin, the Prime Minister and I were looking at the screen, where the Belarusians and Andrzej were to appear, and we were not sure. Emotions at that moment were huge. Yesterday, the other side kept its word, but it used to happen that they didn't," he said.
He added that the Polish authorities had been "very intensively dealing with the case of Andrzej Poczobut for two years."
- There were different situations - promises, commitments, negotiations. The Foreign Ministry played a big role, as well as the prime minister himself, who communicated with leaders of other countries to bring this exchange to a conclusion. It was the labor of many people. Yesterday the final came, but it was not guaranteed until the end, because it depended on the decision of the other side," Semoniak said.
- The condition of the Polish side was that Andrzej Poczobut should be handed over first. It was our condition accepted by the other side. It was obvious to us: no Poczobut - no exchange," he emphasized.