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We investigate corruption, uncover fake news and analyze the news agenda. The BIC is a member of the global network of investigative journalists.

Our journalists are the recipients of the national award “Free Word” from the Association of Journalists of Belarus in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. At "Free Word" 2021 BIC’s team also received first place for Analytics

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Antifake / Factcheck

29 July 2022
Fake news of the week: Ukrainians have to declare Bandera a terrorist in order to get a PESEL number in Poland. BelTA investigation

The official questionnaire, of course, has no such questions at all

"Do you consider Stepan Bandera a terrorist?" - is the question Ukrainian refugees in Poland are asked when applying for documents that entitle them, among other things, to medical care". This is what the Belarusian state news agency BelTA published in its Telegram channel.

“Refugees from Ukraine have to fill in a rather questionable for people with Nazi views form to get PESEL, an ID number that is used when seeking medical care:

Do you consider Stepan Bandera a terrorist?

Do you assume Ukrainian nationalists’ responsibility for Volyn mssacre?

If answered “no”, one might not be granted asylum in Poland. In case of a positive answer, troubles back in Ukraine are inevitable.”

Here is what the application form for a PESEL number in Poland actually looks like. 

It can be found on the official website of the Warsaw City Contact Centre. What do we see? Firstly, the questionnaire has many more items to fill in, and it does not fit on one sheet of paper. Secondly, the real questionnaire must include a photo of an applicant, and the BelTA version does not have one. And thirdly, the official questionnaire, of course, has no such questions at all.

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