At a press conference in Minsk, he said he was forced to leave Poland because he “doesn’t agree with the policies and actions of the current government,” claiming he was persecuted and intimidated because of his independent political views.
Alexander Lukashenko, who rules Belarus, called the judge a “normal Polish patriot” who is “not a traitor,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying by his press service on Thursday. A. Lukashenko added that the claims that Belarus and Russia are recruiting spies in the West are “complete nonsense”.
“This is a blow (…) to the Polish authorities,” A. Lukashenko said. – That’s why they say that he is a traitor.” According to A. Lukashenka, T. Szmydtas “evaluates realistically, compares Poland and Belarus and draws conclusions.”
A. Lukashenko connected the case of T. Szmydt with the case of the Polish soldier Emilio Czeczko, 2021. who also fled to Belarus and asked for asylum. The following year, Belarusian authorities announced that he had been found dead, having hanged himself in his home in Minsk. Now A. Lukashenko claimed that “E. Czeczko was killed”, and hinted that T. Szmydt could also be in danger. He explained that he had given him protection “to prevent these bastards from killing this man.”
“This is a real gift for Belarusian propaganda,” said Belarusian political analyst Valeras Karbalevičius.
“People are fleeing Belarus en masse for political reasons, and now A. Lukashenka can convince them that there are also those fleeing from the West,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Polish Prosecutor’s Office started an investigation into the suspected cooperation of T. Szmydt with foreign intelligence services on the territory of Poland and Belarus.
Polish media reported that T. Szmydt had access to classified information while working at the Warsaw court.
On Thursday, the Supreme Administrative Court accepted the resignation of T. Szmydt, before the disciplinary court revoked his immunity, which allows the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.
Tags: Analyst real gift Belarusian propagandists
