As Lukashenko’s regime continues to move in on Belarus’ largest civil organization, the Union of Poles, and Europe now promising funds for opposition groups, tensions between the country and the rest of Europe are escalating dramatically. The EU sent a delegation to investigate human rights and democracy in Belarus, and they actually had the cojones to turn them away!

Hrodna, Belarus; 8 August 2005 (RFE/RL) — Belarus today denied a delegation from the European Parliament permission to enter the country.

Polish diplomat Bogdan Adam Klich, chairman of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Belarus, told RFE/RL: “I don’t understand their decision. I think this action is illegal. The administration Äof Belarusian President Alyaksandr LukashenkaÅ violates the basic principles of international law, and the international community should draw conclusions from that.”

The delegation was trying to enter Belarus to conduct a study on human rights and democratic standards. In particular, they wanted to investigate the recent conflict between the government and the Union of Poles in Belarus.

Minsk accuses high-ranking members of the Union of Poles in Belarus of holding unauthorized meetings and of embezzling funds from the organization.

Today’s development comes amid worsening diplomatic relations between Warsaw and Minsk.

Belarus accuses Poland of interfering in its internal affairs. The two sides have recently engaged in a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions.

Of course, Belarus isn’t a member of the EU, so it’s not exactly illegal. However, it does suggest to the broader action of moving directly into the arms of Russia to maintain dictatorial stability. Poland and Belarus have been expelling each others’ own diplomats over the past few months, but now it has gone past a regional conflict toward a continental one.

Notice that the head of the delegation from the European Parliament commission on relations with Belarus is from Poland, and his very hawkish stance against Lukashenko. This is a very important example of how the different culture in the more recent EU acquisition countries is affecting European foreign policy on the whole. It’s unprecedented that the EU would take such a bold stance against dictatorship, especially one that is being openly backed by Russia.